


Blood and Bone

by alice_time



Category: Blue Bloods (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, I swear., Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Pack Discipline, Pack Dynamics, Pack Family, Past Child Abuse, Shifters, Somewhat Jamie-centric, Spanking, There are hugs, This isn't as dark as it sounds., Werewolf Mates, Werewolves Turn Into Actual Wolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-01 04:38:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12697524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alice_time/pseuds/alice_time
Summary: The NYPD is the perfect place for wolves, and the Reagan family pack is no exception. They've proved over and over again how wolves make the police force stronger. Jamie's the newest Reagan wolf to enter the police force, and when he does he quickly discovers there was more to his brother Joe's death than meets the eye. But when threats are delivered and the pack is put in danger, Jamie will have to bring the rest of the pack in on his investigation.But the truth about Joe's death is only the beginning. Someone is poisoning New York's shifters with a rage inducing poison, and it looks like it's all tracking back to a fraternity long thought dead.





	1. Secrets

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [66 Pounds of Pressure](https://archiveofourown.org/works/249619) by [elyssblair](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elyssblair/pseuds/elyssblair). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Ware spanking near the end.

It wasn’t like every wolf was a cop, but one in four cops was a wolf. And they were always partnered with other wolves. It worked better that way. Some precincts were heavier toward the shifter side than others, but it was no surprise to Jamie that he ended up in the 12th. His father wouldn’t of had a _direct_ hand in it, but Jamie didn’t doubt he’d done something. Through one of his chief’s or another back channel. There were those who didn’t think PC Reagan was all that politically savvy, but that was a smokescreen.

It could be weird sliding into the every-shifting hierarchy of wolves and police officers. There were always going to be scuffles now and again when new people were added to the precinct or you ended up on a crime scene with a some overly domineering wolf who thought anyone without a gold badge should show him their neck and avert their eyes.

Yeah, Jamie didn’t play that game. There was _one_ packmaster he showed his neck to, and this asshole definitely wasn’t his father. Okay, maybe two, he wasn’t a jerk. He didn’t play the game of dominance with Pops. That was just asking to get his ass beat. He and Danny scuffled sometimes, but Danny was definitively Dad’s lieutenant. Jamie never the urge to take his place. Besides, Erin was Dad’s _other_ lieutenant. At least, off the job. On the job, Dad had Detective Baker too, her commanding presence easily cowing any wolf stupid enough to challenge her authority.

But this was different. Just because Jamie didn’t have his detective’s shield yet, didn’t give Detective Roth the right to try and force him into submission. Jamie wasn’t a pushover and he wasn’t Roth’s pack either. Roth towered over Jamie, had fifty pounds easy on the lithe shifter, but Jamie didn’t look away. He kept his eyes fixed on Roth’s. Kept his head up.

Roth growled.

Jamie growled.

Renzulli stood back, waiting to see how it would play out, a small amused smile on his face. He’d seen this play out before. Usually, the other guy would back down, embarrassed, and try to play off like it never happened.

Except this time Roth’s growl ramped up and the guy clenched a fist. Renzulli took a step forward. “Hey, back off my partner.”

“Stay out of this!”

“In case you’re blind, _Detective_ , there are three stripes on my sleeves.” Never mind that Renzulli was a packmaster in his own right. The heavy silver ring on his finger was there, glinting as a subtle hint. The detective was probably a loner, maybe loosely affiliated with his station’s wolves, but not in a proper pack.

That should have set the guy straight, but instead, he grabbed Jamie by the front of his shirt and threw him.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Jamie got to his feet, eyes flashing a bit too bright to be human.

“Jesus, he’s shifting,” Renzulli snapped. “Cartwright, Josephs, perimeter, now!”

Jamie grabbed his radio. “We’ve got a 10-X-Ray at Park and 3rd. Officers on the scene. Requesting assistance.” He hurried to the car, popping the trunk and retrieving the tranquilizer gun.

The detective had torn through his clothes and the wolf he was becoming was a snarling mess. There was definitely something not quite right here. Jamie checked and loaded the gun as quickly as he could, moving back.

“Roth, man, calm down. Where’s your head at?” his partner, Donovan, tried to talk him down. Roth snapped at him.

Foam flecked at the corner’s of the wolf’s mouth. Jamie fired. The dart stuck center mass, but Roth didn’t even notice. Jamie hurried to reload.

Renzulli shook his head. “Donovan! You’re gonna have to try and pin him.”

“Sergeant, I’d be happy to but…Roth could take me cold. I don’t think I _can_ pin him.”

“Dammit.” Renzulli glanced around at who was there. “Jamie, hit him again and then shift.”

“Yes, sir.” Jamie got another tranq dart into Roth and ducked back to the car. He stripped off his hat and belt, shirt, vest and shoes. He didn’t bother with the rest, it could be replaced. He dug into that feeling, the wild that flowed through his blood as surely as being a cop did. His eyes flashed and the change came swiftly. He’d trained for this. Shifting fast during a confrontation. He could strip out of his gear in thirty seconds or less and shift in under a minute. It hurt, and he didn’t like to do it, but he could.

Jamie’s sleek blond wolf leapt into the fray, knocking Roth off his feet. The darker, bigger, wolf got back up and went after Jamie. But Jamie had spent his whole life wrestling with wolves that were bigger than him, who played dirtier than him. He knew how to tire a wolf out, how to pin someone bigger and more—he knew how to force submission if he had to.

There was a packmaster’s strength lying underneath Jamie’s smile, and he used it now. Roth’s eyes were clouded, and with Jamie’s sharpened nose he caught a horribly familiar scent. They made all the wolves go through the same training as a drug search dog, and this was a drug no wolf would take. The called it Shade, and the only thing it did to wolves was make them erratic, dangerous.

Jamie was going to have to keep Roth busy until the tranquilizers did their work. They’d take _longer_ with Shade running through Roth’s system too, but they’d work eventually. Any more and they’d run the risk of him dying. Still, a wolf on a Shade-rage, wasn’t something Jamie could handle on his own. He was all too happy to smell reinforcements as a pair of wolves came in to relieve him.

They kept Roth busy until he finally collapsed. Renzulli stepped forward, checking Roth’s pulse. “He’s alive. Get him on a bus.”

Jamie hurried to shift back. A helpful officer tossed him a blanket to avoid public indecency.

“He’s dosed with Shade, Sarge,” Jamie said.

Renzulli growled, shaking his head. “Second one in a month.”

“Well, higher-ups are gonna have to open an investigation now, right?” Jamie adjusted his blanket. “First there were those two civilian wolves and now two cops?”

“Yeah,” Renzulli nodded. “Go get dressed. We’ll have to give statements and I’m sure you don’t want to do that wearing a blanket.”

Jamie flushed. “Yeah. No.”

***

Jamie wasn’t all that surprised to find Danny waiting for him when he got back to the 12th.

“Hey kid, heard you had to shift today.”

“Shade.” Jamie shook his head. “Sent a detective on the scene I was helping cordon off over the edge. Had to step in.”

“You okay?” Danny looked him over, sniffing. He could usually smell an injury.

“Yeah. You know me. He was big, but I’m fast.”

“Yeah, kid, I know.” Danny clapped him on the shoulder. “I also hear you have a couple new fans after flashing your ass.”

Jamie’s ears went red. “Great.”

“I admit, they were saying some things that I will not repeat.” Danny grinned. “Dad wants you home tonight.”

Jamie sighed.

“You know the rules. You have a fight on duty and Dad’s gonna want to make sure you’re okay. Count the pups, you know.”

“I know.” Jamie nodded.

“Good.” Danny smiled. “I’m gonna check with your TO, but then I gotta get going.” Danny squeezed Jamie’s shoulder and slipped off to find Renzulli.

“See you, Danny.” Jamie sighed. He’d already gotten little pats and nudges from the other wolves in the station. It was reassurance. They wanted to make sure he was okay. They talked about cops protecting other cops, but wolves took that to another level. He doubted they’d ease up on the touching for a week or so.

And of course, all the non-wolves were on alert too. One of their own had been poisoned. No one was going to let that slide.

“Be good kid,” Danny waved at him as he left Renzulli’s office.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Renzulli beckoned Jamie over. “You know the drill, pup. You have to shift on duty, you got to talk to the LPA rep. He’s waiting for you in the radio room.”

Jamie sighed but nodded. “Yes, sir.” He slunk off to the radio room. The LPA rep and Jamie didn’t get along. He’d had to talk to him two other times since he’d come on the job and neither conversation was particularly pleasant.

Grover was waiting for Jamie, just as Renzulli had promised.

“Why am I not surprised.” Grover shook his head. “This is third time, Reagan.”

“Sergeant Renzulli ordered me to shift in order to help contain Detective Roth who was out of control.” Jamie kept his tone level.

“Lucky for you then.”

Jamie clenched his jaw. Grover had had an issue with Jamie since he first laid eyes on him. It was better to just grin and bear it.

“Is there anything else you’d like to add to your statement?” Grover pressed.

“No.”

Grover made a face. “You sure about that?”

“Yes.” Jamie frowned. This was a cut and dry case. He’d shifted for a reason. His sergeant had made the order. There was nothing fishy about it. It felt like…it almost felt like Grover was looking for a reason to jam him up.

“All right. You’re dismissed, officer.”

Jamie got out of there as quickly as possible. He had a feeling. A bad feeling.

***

“Dad? Pops?” Jamie slipped in through the kitchen door, making a line for the fridge. He spotted a container of roast beef and snagged it. He grabbed a fork and ate it cold and quickly, leaning against the kitchen island.

“Jamie,” Henry Reagan, better known to his grandchildren as Pops, walked into the kitchen. “Aren’t they feeding you?”

Jamie shrugged and swallowed. “Had to shift today.”

“I heard. Well, then you’ll be happy to know there’s a plate of cold cuts on the bottom shelf and a fresh rye loaf in the bread box.” Henry settled next to his grandson. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” Jamie nodded, finishing off the roast beef. “LPA rep was giving me a hard time for no reason—and it’s always hard to have to fight one of your own. But Roth was totally out of it.”

“Investigation is on-going.” His father strode into the room. Frank Reagan towered over his son, an imposing packmaster with sharp eyes and groomed mustache. His packmaster ring was gold, marked on side with a police shield and on the other with the Reagan crest. “But it looks like Roth was poisoned a couple hours before he started his shift.” Frank pulled Jamie close, taking a deep breath. “Good work, Jamie. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Jamie didn’t mind the hug. It was the kind of reassurance he’d needed. His father, his packmaster, telling him that he’d done good. Dad had gotten a little more protective though, after Joe…after Joe was killed. It’d taken everyone hard, but for Jamie, he’d lost a brother and his best friend. It was Joe’s death that was part of the reason Jamie’d finally taken the cop test and entered the academy.

And now—his off books investigation of Joe’s death was starting to draw attention. He was sure Renzulli suspected something and running into Detective Malevsky the other day at a crime scene still had him on edge. Maybe that’s why he thought Grover was being funny. Everybody seemed suspect to him lately.

“You smell worried,” Frank said, pulling back to look his youngest in the eye. “What’s wrong?”

“Just—Roth. This thing with the Shade poisonings. They could hit anybody, you know?”

“I know.” Frank squeezed Jamie’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll track this down. It’ll be okay.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Eat, you’re staying here tonight, okay?”

“Okay.” Jamie nodded.

Frank ruffled Jamie’s hair and smiled. “Try not to eat everything in the fridge, okay?”

Jamie grinned. “I’ll try, Dad.”

***

It was the scent that raised Jamie’s hackles first before he every laid eyes on Malevsky. The man wasn’t a wolf, which was a small blessing. Didn’t make him any less dangerous though. Jamie strode up, shifting his garment bag and his duffel.

“Detective Malevsky, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know, talking to some old friends.” Malevsky smiled.

“Right.”

“That’s Joe’s car, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Jamie took a breath. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something off about this guy.

“Well, see you around, kid.”

“Sure.” Jamie shook his head and hurried inside. He met Renzulli in the locker room, catching a strange smell the minute he walked in. “Is that—bleach?”

“Yeah,” Renzulli nodded. “Some jack-ass spilled a bottle of the stuff in here.”

Jamie frowned and immediately went to his locker. The smell was even stronger there. He popped it open. “My gun is gone.”

“What?” Renzulli turned around, eyes narrowing.

“There are bleach stains here,” Jamie pulled out a hoodie that had fallen to the bottom of his locker. “Sarge, I think someone took my gun.”

Renzulli clenched his jaw. “Don’t touch anything else. I’m bringing in Special Investigations.”

“Sir—”

“No objections. You go to my office and stay there, and then you and me are gonna have a chat about you sneaking around.”

Jamie nodded. “Yes, sir.”

He should’ve known he couldn’t keep this a secret for long.

***

Renzulli stared down at Jamie, feeling every inch a packmaster to the younger wolf. Jamie reconsidered his list of dominant wolves he’d bare his throat for.

“Spill, kid. When you’re done here, I think you’ll be heading straight to 1 PP to talk to the PC.”

Jamie swallowed. That wasn’t going to be an easy conversation. “Sarge—”

“You got to the count of three, and then I’ll put you over my knee for our talk.”

“Yes, sir.” Jamie’s ears turned red. “Right after graduation I was approached by the FBI. Apparently, Joe was working for them when he got killed. He was looking into the Blue Templar.”

Renzulli raised his eyebrows. “And Gonzales?”

“I think the Templar had her killed. She was second on the scene, when Joe died. Malevsky told her that the drug dealers shot Joe and he shot the dealers. She didn’t believe his story so…” Jamie took a breath, looking down at his hands. “Malevsky knows, I think, that I’ve been sniffing around. I saw him out front. I think he took my gun.”

“Jesus, pup.” Renzulli shook his head. “Okay. You drive straight home. I’ll call the PC and get him to meet you there. We don’t need anymore heat on this.” He leaned forward. “This was not something you should have kept to yourself, Jamison.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I just—it was Joe.”

“I know. And that’s the only reason you aren’t getting your ass warmed by me. Don’t think your packmaster is going to be so forgiving.”

“Probably not.” Jamie took a breath.

“Okay. I’ll fix things here. Write your statement,” Renzulli grabbed a pad and pencil from his desk, “I’ll square everything with Special Investigations.”

“Thanks, Sarge.” Now he just had to face his father with this. That wasn’t going to be easy.

***

Frank was on his way down to the lobby when a second call came in from the 12th. “Commissioner Reagan speaking.”

“Sir,” Renzulli sounded winded. “Jamie’s been a car accident. He’s okay, but the Chevelle’s not in the best shape. Looks like somebody cut his brakes. We’re sending him home with an escort.”

Frank exhaled. “Okay. I’ll be there shortly. What’s my son got himself involved in, Sergeant?”

“Best if he tells you that, sir.”

Unspoken were the words, _Not over the phone._

“Thank you, Sergeant.” Frank hung up. “We’re still headed home.” His driver nodded.

And then he was going to find out what the hell his baby boy had got himself into.

***

Jamie got home first, and as Renzulli promised, he was okay. It took more than a collision to hurt a wolf. He hadn’t been going too fast, but hitting a concrete barricade hadn’t done the Chevelle any favors.

“Jamie,” Henry frowned at the officers that took up stations outside the house. “What’s going on?”

Jamie frowned. “Better wait ‘til Dad gets here.”

“Oh?” Henry eyed his grandson. “What did you do?”

“Nothing.” Jamie grimaced further and strode into the living room.

“Jamison,” Henry warned.

“Really, Pops, we have to wait.” Jamie plopped down on the couch.

“All right.” Henry shook his head. “I’ll call Danny and Erin.”

“ _Pops_.”

“Nope, you know how this goes. If your father needs to know, then Danny and Erin need to know.” Henry gave Jamie a look. “You can stay right there until everyone gets here.”

Jamie sighed. Telling his father was bad enough, but telling everyone?

This was going to be hard.

***

Jamie sat while everyone else stood around, staring at him. He laid it all out. The voice recording from the FBI. Lying to IA about the red-haired woman. Malevsky’s threatening behavior. His missing gun. His cut brake lines.

Everything.

Erin was the first one to break, sitting down next to him and pulling her little brother into her arms. “You idiot,” she whispered, holding him tight.

“You should have told us about this when it started, Jamison,” Frank pronounced at last. “You should have come straight to me.”

“I know.” Jamie buried his face in Erin’s shoulder, taking comfort in her scent. “I’m sorry.”

“Why didn’t you come to us?” Danny asked.

“I just—I don’t know. It was Joe. And finding out he’d been murdered by another cop?” His pack already treated him like he was still a gangly pup in need of watching. If they’d known the truth about Joe…it just would’ve gotten worse. More than that, it was Joe. Joe who taught Jamie how to drive. Joe who drove up to Harvard to run with Jamie on the full moon. His best friend. He wanted to find the truth for himself. He knew it was selfish.

Danny shook his head, perhaps understanding a bit what Jamie hadn’t said. “And the result of you keeping this quiet was you nearly getting _killed._ ”

Jamie swallowed.

“Danny, I need you to bring in that friend of yours.” Frank glanced at his eldest son. “The wire-tapping expert.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Erin, we’re keeping this in house. We don’t know the full scope of this. We can’t risk it getting out. Does everyone understand?”

There was a quiet chorus of _Yes sir._

“All right. Erin, Danny, start looking into Malevsky. I assume Sergeant Renzulli knows what’s going on?”

Jamie nodded.

“Then we’ll enlist him as well.” Frank took a breath. “If I could have the room. Jamie and I need to have a talk about hiding things and putting your life in danger.”

Jamie was fully certain there would be little talking involved.

Everyone else nodded. Erin patted Jamie’s back and kissed his forehead before slipping out of the room after Danny and Henry. Leaving Jamie alone. With Frank.

Jamie shook off his unease as Frank sat down next to him on the couch. “You know what you did was wrong.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Stand up, lower your trousers and get over my lap.”

Jamie hated this part the most. Submitting to punishment. But this was his father and his packmaster and he’d let him down. He stood, unfastening button and zipper and shucked his jeans down. He knew he couldn’t take too long about this, or his father would start counting. And counting was never good. He took a breath and got himself onto the couch before laying over his father’s lap.

Frank didn’t waste any time whisking Jamie’s boxers down to meet his jeans. “You do _not_ hide things from me, Jamison. Especially not things that put your life in danger.”

“Yes, sir.”

Frank nodded, giving his son a warning tap before he started. Jamie wasn’t a stranger to the position, but it had been awhile. Part of him was looking forward to Nicky turning sixteen and taking her first shift, because he had absolute faith his smart mouthed niece becoming the baby wolf in the pack would take some of the pressure off him.

With any luck.

The first hard swat struck the precise center of his ass and it _stung_. He couldn’t help his yelp. He’d learned a long time ago that biting his lip to preserve his pride was a losing battle and his father would only reward him with a half-dozen strokes from his belt. He’d heal more slowly taking it from his packmaster. Someone had once explained to him that there was something about the status that was…more. Whatever supernatural thing that made a packmaster what they were meant they could do real damage to other wolves. Lasting damage. But he trusted his father. He trusted his packmaster.

And that’s what had his wolf and himself so disappointed right now. He hadn’t trusted his packmaster with this information. He’d put his life in danger.  

Somehow, he always forgot how _hard_ his father’s hands were. The sound of skin striking skin was always a touch unnerving too. But at least he wasn’t taking this on top of a spanking from Renzulli. His father’s hand moved fast, laying an even heat across the tender skin. Jamie tried to stay still, grabbing a couch cushion to hold tight. He couldn’t kick much, his jeans constricted his legs. And it just went _on_.

“You could have been killed, Jamie. Going up against the people that killed your brother. Alone.” The last word was emphasized with a harder swat. “I will not lose another son. Especially not to something like this. Until we resolve the investigation, you can consider yourself grounded.”

Realizing that his father expected a response to that, Jamie managed, “Yes, sir.”

Frank grunted and adjusted Jamie’s position a bit, raising his leg to give him better access to that tender skin where ass met thigh. Jamie was sure he’d feel that for a couple days. He couldn’t help tears now either. He could remember his first spanking. He’d nearly shifted in the middle, his wolf battling to get free of the pain. It hadn’t ended well for him. But his wolf had learned his place in the pack then. Jamie didn’t worry about shifting this time, both sides of him were in complete agreement. He’d fucked up.

“I’m sorry,” he panted. It was only the opening salvo to a steady stream of apologies and promises not to never do it again.

Frank moved his freehand up to Jamie’s neck, squeezing gently in reassurance while he laid down hard swats. “You’re doing so well,” he praised. “Almost finished.”

Jamie clutched the pillow tighter, anchoring himself on his father’s touch while those hard, hard hands left their final impression on his skin.

“All done now, Jamie,” Frank combed his hand up into his son’s hair. “I forgive you, pup.”

Jamie pulled himself up, shifting his boxers up, kneeling on the couch next to Frank. His eyes were red, tears still running down his cheeks. “They killed Joe,” he looked into his father’s eyes. “They killed him.”

Frank pulled his son into his arms. “I know.” He pet Jamie’s hair. “We’ll get them. We’ll get them.”

Jamie let his head fall onto his father’s shoulder. “I should have told you. I was—I was being selfish.”

“It’s all done now,” Frank said.

Erin crept in, a glass of water in hand. “Jamie, you should drink this, honey.”

Frank tugged Jamie around to sit in his lap and took the glass, handing it to his son.

Jamie was momentarily stunned, but settled when he took the glass. “I’m sorry, Erin.”

“I know.” She smoothed his hair from his face. “Drink.”

Jamie drank. Being a wolf meant he’d long ago lost his embarrassment regarding being naked or partially dressed around other people. And other members of the pack? Well, that didn’t bother him at all. You had to get over it.

Danny walked in a couple minutes later. “Okay, my buddy will be here tomorrow. Renzulli is going to keep an eye on Jamie, but we think it’s probably best if he sticks to his usual schedule. Acts like everything’s normal.”

Frank nodded. “I’ll put a couple wolves on him from Special Investigations. They know what they’re doing.”

Danny nodded. “Okay.”

“We’re going to put these people away,” Erin’s eyes flashed. Of the siblings, she was usually the one with the most control over her wolf, but if there was anything that would set her wolf on edge, it was her family in danger. “The pack should huddle up. If they’re willing to go after Jamie…there’s no telling what they might be willing to do.”

“The pups should be here,” Henry said. “Nicky, Sean and Jack. I want them here.”

“I’ll call Linda,” Danny replied.

Erin nodded. “I’ll go get Nicky.”

Jamie sighed, but snuggled closer to his father. His wolf needed tactile reassurance. Danny frowned and slipped over to his brother, running on hand down Jamie’s arm. Jamie looked up at him. “Do I look that pathetic.”

“Nah.” Danny gave him a loose smile. “You’ve been all stand-offish for weeks, I’m not gonna fault you for being a bit touch-starved.” His eyes sharpened a touch. “Don’t do it again.”

“Yes, Danny.”

Danny patted Jamie’s shoulder. “I’ll see you later.” Danny gave a half-assed salute and headed out. Erin gave Jamie a quick kiss on the cheek and followed Danny out.

Jamie took a deep breath. “You think we’ll find my gun?”

“Special Investigations will do their job,” Frank replied. “Come on, let’s get you something to eat.”

There was rarely anything in the Reagan family that wasn’t solved with food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eddie will come in, in either chapter 2 or 3. I'm screwing with the timeline but...let's face it, Blue Bloods timeline isn't exactly solid.


	2. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation of Joe's murder moves forward and Jamie finds a young wolf in need of help.

It felt weird, going along on his usual beat knowing that the rest of his family was working on Joe’s case—and also because it was entirely possible the Blue Templar were trying to kill him and not just scare him. Renzulli was keeping a close eye on him and…admittedly he was still a little sore from last night. Which Renzulli seemed righteously amused by.

“I’m grabbing a coffee, you want one?” Renzulli asked.

“Nah,” Jamie shook his head. “I’m at my maximum for coffee.”

Renzulli laughed. “Got you.”

Jamie took a breath—and caught a tang of copper and iron. He took a proper sniff. “Sarge, I smell blood. Fresh.”

The coffee cart guy gave Jamie an odd look, but the crescent moon against black enamel bar pin above his badge was a quick explanation. Renzulli paid quickly and nodded for Jamie to follow the scent.

The blood smell took Jamie down toward an alley just off the street—which was where he caught another scent over the blood. _Wolf._ Injured, if he was right. He kept going. “Hello? I’m a police officer and a wolf. Do you need help?” He was certain whoever it was, was nearby. Alive.

A crash drew Jamie’s attention, a crate of glass bottles being knocked over and spilling onto the asphalt—followed by a bloodied girl, stabilizing herself against the brick wall with one hand. She shuffled forward. “Help.”

“This is 12 David, we need a bus in the eastern alley off 1207 Fifth Street. Please be advised, victim is a wolf.”

Jamie hurried forward, supporting the girl as she stumbled away from the wall. He checked her over, but it appeared to be mostly contusions. The blood was mostly coming from a gash over her eyebrow. Red curls weighed down by an old knit hat were matted with blood, and her blue eyes were startling against all that red.

“Jesus.” Renzulli peered at her. “Can you tell me your name, Miss?”

She took a breath. “Caitlin.”

“Caitlin, can you tell me who did this to you?” Jamie asked.

She frowned. “Billy. He’s a loner. I—I tipped off the cops about his friend. He took it personal.”

“Okay.” Jamie smiled, gently pushing bloodied hair from her face. “Do you have a pack, Caitlin.”

Caitlin’s curls shook as she shifted her head back and forth— _no_. She let out a little whine.

“That’s all right,” Jamie soothed. “How long have you been on your own?”

“Awhile. Didn’t—didn’t know I was a wolf ‘til I shifted. Birthday was…two months ago.”

Jamie looked at Renzulli and then back to Caitlin. A shifter so young, on their own…he knew it could happen, but they tried so damn hard to make sure it didn’t. She never should have been on her own, and not even _knowing_ she was a wolf? The genetic tests were supposed to be done at twelve. Had she been on the streets for all this time?

“Your mom and dad?”

Caitlin shrugged. “Mom wasn’t a wolf, must’ve been Dad. Didn’t know him. She died. I didn’t like foster care so…” She gestured sort of vaguely.

The bus rolled up with lights but no sirens, in deference to the wolves on the scene and their patient. And by the insignia stamped on the side, it was a wolf run bus. The EMT’s hurried toward them.

“Her name is Caitlin,” Jamie said. “Contusions and scrapes mostly, but the gash on her forehead has bled quite a bit. She’s been shifted for two months.”

The EMT nodded. “Okay, we’re taking her to St. Vincent’s. You going to follow?”

“Yes,” Renzulli said. “Jamie, go with her.”

“Yes, sir.”

***

Jamie paced in the waiting room. They’d called social services for a wolf case worker and luckily, Linda was on duty to take a DNA swab. They had to know where this kid had come from. Random wolves popping up wasn’t good for the community’s reputation. There were a few solid foster wolf families, but if they could find blood, that would be better.

Every wolf family kept their DNA on record just in case there was a…youthful accident. Or not-so-youthful accident.

“Caitlin Driscoll,” Renzulli read off his phone. “She ran away from foster-care at eleven and has been in and out of group-homes, shelters and the usual camps of wayward children ever since. A couple pickpocketing charges. Loitering. Some petty theft. Usual stuff for a street-kid.”

“She never should’ve been on the streets.” Jamie shook his head. “This isn’t supposed to happen.”

“I know.” Renzulli put a steadying hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “I know, it kills me too, but sometimes kids slip through the cracks. But we won’t let it happen again with her.”

Jamie nodded, licking his lips. “I can’t even imagine how scared she must’ve been, shifting that first time. Not knowing what was happening.” He clenched his fists.

Renzulli eyed his partner carefully. “I think you need some grounding, pup.”

“Sarge—”

“Don’t argue, come on.” Renzulli took his arm and pulled him out of the way toward the wall where they wouldn’t be in the way. Tactile grounding after high stress situations was common practice, no one even looked at them twice as Renzulli pulled Jamie into his arms, pressing Jamie’s head to his shoulder. Seeing a young wolf in such distress would upset anyone. Renzulli was in much need of this as Jamie, though he wouldn’t say so.

A good hug was the perfect answer to the problem. If things were _really_ bad, Renzulli would have sought out a quiet room so they could shift and snuggle up. They weren’t at that point though.

Linda walked into the waiting room, spying her brother-in-law and smiling. It was good to see his partner knew what he was doing. She waited quietly until Jamie caught her scent and lifted his head.

“Linda.”

“Hey, your girl is going to be all right. The injuries weren’t life-threatening. They were already healing when you found her, it just looked bad. We were a bit concerned about possible brain damage, but there’s no swelling on the brain.”

“That’s great.” Jamie smiled and pulled free of Renzulli. “She say anything else?”

“We asked her the same questions you did, there weren’t any inconsistencies. The case worker just arrived, she wants to talk to both of you before she talks to Caitlin. She did tell me that the person she informed on was Eddie Cartwright, that arsonist.”

“Yeah, I remember that case,” Jamie nodded. “I knew we got a lead the DA’s office wouldn’t disclose.”

“Right.” Linda glanced at Renzulli. “You two should follow me.”

“Got it.”

They followed her down the hall to the pediatrics wing to a private room. They always kept wolves separate, the younger ones especially could suffer sensory issues.

The case worker was waiting just inside the door, a thick file in hand. “Hi there, you two found her?” She was maybe five feet tall, blonde and exuded an aura of happiness that took Jamie by surprise. She smelled like sugar and lemons—and wolf. There was no pack affiliation though, stamped on the silver bracelet with the wolf’s usually crescent moon on a black field, dangling on her right wrist.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jamie replied. God, she smelled good.

“No need for ma’am.” She smiled. “Eddie Janko, you can call me Eddie.”

Jamie smiled back. “Jamie Reagan, and this is Sergeant Anthony Renzulli.”

“Tony,” Renzulli shook her hand. “Anything in that file tell us who the wolf was that passed the blood to Caitlin?”

Eddie shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. Her mother, Elizabeth Driscoll, lived in Brooklyn—”

“Lizzie Driscoll,” Jamie interrupted. “Her mom’s name was Ruth.”

Eddie glanced at the file. “Yeah, did you know her?”

“My older brother Joe dated her in high school.” Jamie swallowed, looking back at the girl sleeping just feet away from them and taking a deep breath of her scent. “She kind of went away senior year. I was still in middle school, didn’t know her all that well. Knew her mom though, she baked for all the school sales. The best brownies you’ve ever had.”

“Jamie,” Linda put a hand on his arm, “are you thinking…what I think you’re thinking?”

“I think there’s a faster way to find out if I’m right than a DNA test.” He looked at Eddie. “I can shift, see if my wolf sees her as pack or not.”

Eddie frowned. “I’m not saying _no_ , but you realize that proof of pack doesn’t always mean proof of kinship?”

“I do. I also know that girl’s eyes are the same color as my brother Joe’s.” He thought back to the first moment he’d seen them. He could smell her profile better now that there wasn’t blood masking her scent. And she smelled—she smelled like family. “We’ll be given custody though, pack bonds are important for stabilizing newly shifted wolves.”

“Of course.” Eddie nodded. “If you feel that strongly about it, I’m not going to stop you. I want her to have a safe home.” Her smile was a bit lopsided. “Can’t think of much safer than your pack, Officer Reagan.”

There was only the one Reagan pack after all.

Jamie nodded. “Okay then. Sarge?”

“Yes, you have permission to shift on duty.”

“Thanks.” Jamie smiled at him. “Linda? Best place?”

“Follow me.” She shook her head. “Can’t wait to tell Danny about this one.”

“Oh yeah. This is gonna be one of hell of a story.”

***

Caitlin was awake by the time Jamie padded in, his badge prominently displayed on the harness Renzulli helped him slip into after he shifted. All the wolves carried them around in case they had to shift for longer periods of time while on duty.

“He’s pretty,” Caitlin said.

Eddie smiled. “He sure is. Officer Reagan is just going to give you a sniff, is that okay?”

“Okay.”

Jamie moved closer, tongue lolling in a doggy-smile, ears perked. He didn’t want to scare her. He sniffed her hand.

“Your nose is wet.”

Jamie licked her hand. There was something there. Something definitely there. Caitlin moved her hand, sinking her fingers into the thick golden fur.

And there it was. The connection. It was something felt with the heart. A sort of spiritual connection. As soon as Jamie felt it, Linda did too. Once a bond was formed, it spread through the rest of the pack.

 This bond was a little different. It wasn't newly formed. It was older. It was born the same day she was born, just as all family bonds were, and it was the age of it that gave Jamie confidence that he was right. His suspicion was founded on instinct sure, but instinct didn’t usually steer him wrong.

Caitlin’s eyes narrowed. “What—what is that?” She put a hand over her heart. “I feel—weird.”

Jamie gave Eddie a smug sort of look.

She rolled her eyes. “It’s called the pack bond,” Eddie said. “It’s…I suppose it might seem a bit like mystical nonsense, but it’s a connection shared between wolves of the same pack.”

“But I’ve never even met him before today.”

“Like I said, mystical,” Eddie smiled gently. “This is a good thing, kiddo. Means you’ve got someplace to go that’s not back on the streets.”

Caitlin blinked. “Oh.”

“Okay folks, let’s take the rest of this outside. Miss Driscoll needs to rest.” Linda gestured toward the door. “Caitlin, sweetie, you make sure to eat everything on your tray. You’ll heal faster if you eat.” She closed the door behind them and herded the group into the waiting area.

“I’ll start processing the paperwork,” Eddie said. She gave Jamie a look. “You gonna stay fluffy?”

He gave her a look.

“Go on, Reagan,” Renzulli said. “You’re cute, but your communication skills are a bit lacking.”

Jamie rolled his eyes, but trotted off. No one even gave him a second look, a wolf with a badge was a pretty common sight around New York. Outside the cities though, he probably would’ve gotten some looks.

“He is a cute wolf,” Eddie said. “All the Reagan’s look like they’re half golden-retriever?”

Linda snorted. “Nah. Jamie’s special.”

“You need anything else from us?” Renzulli asked. “For the paperwork?”

“Not at this time.” Eddie turned to Renzulli. “I’ll keep you updated though, I know you like to keep up on the CPS cases in your precinct.”

Renzulli smiled. “I have a reputation then.”

“Yeah,” she smiled back. “I appreciate that though. Nice to see someone take an interest.”

“It’s my territory, I do what I can.”

Jamie came back, buttoning his shirt up as he walked. “We all set here, Sarge?”

“Yup.”

“I’ll keep an eye on Caitlin,” Linda promised. “Make sure you call your father, Jamie.”

“I will.” Jamie wasn’t about to keep anymore secrets from his dad, not so soon after his displeasure had been made so clear on Jamie’s ass. “See you later.” He couldn’t help one last look at Eddie as he and Renzulli headed for the elevator. She smelled so damn good.

Once the elevator doors closed, Renzulli gave Jamie a look. “She’s cute, huh?”

Jamie’s ears went red. “Don’t know what you’re talking about, Sarge.”

“Yeah, I bet.” Renzulli grinned and ruffled Jamie’s hair.

“Hey!”

“Settle down, pup. Come on, I’ll buy you a hotdog.”

Jamie sighed. This was such a weird damn day.

***

Knowing the family grapevine the way he did, Jamie called his dad as soon as he finished his hotdog. He gave the Cliffnotes version of the story, promising more details when he got home. From there, he could reliably predict that Dad would tell Pops. Linda would tell Danny. Danny or Dad would tell Erin who may or may not tell Nicky.

It was a pretty efficient web of communication.

And once they’d confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that Caitlin was Joe’s kid, well, then the cousins and the kids would be told. For now, all anyone needed to know was that Caitlin was pack. A new wolf was always going to be a celebration. Of course, current circumstances made everything a bit…unusual. Tracking Joe’s killer and discovering he might have a daughter all in one week?

Hard not to see a bit of the hand of fate in there.

Jamie finished his tour without incident, and Renzulli escorted him home.

“Hey, Dad, Pops,” Jamie set his duffel down in the foyer and headed toward the kitchen. “I see there are still guards outside the house.”

Frank looked up from the vegetables he was chopping. “I also put a couple civilian pack members on the hospital with Caitlin. She’ll be here in a couple days.”

Jamie nodded. “She needs pack around her now. Poor kid. Shifting out of the blue? Can’t imagine how scared she was.”

“Used to be a lot more common,” Henry said. “This is the first case in New York in—what, five years?”

“Yeah.” Jamie stole a slice of cucumber, ignoring his father’s disapproving look. “She’s got Joe’s eyes.”

“You think the DNA is gonna prove your gut?” Henry asked.

“Yeah, Pops, I do. I mean, her mom was Lizzie Driscoll. She’s the right age.” Jamie shrugged. “She’s got Joe’s eyes.” It just kept coming back to that for Jamie.

“And she’s pack,” Frank said. “Regardless of whether or not she _is_ Joe’s daughter, she is pack and we will take care of her.”

“Of course,” Henry said.

“Any updates on the other thing?” Jamie asked.

“We’re working the case,” Frank replied. “When we’re ready for an arrest, I promise you’ll be there.”

“Okay.” In other words, he wasn’t going to be filled in and he needed to be okay with that because his packmaster had just told him so. Jamie wasn’t itching to push it with anyone right now.

“The case worker for CPS, she was a wolf?” Henry asked.

“Yeah.” Jamie turned to his grandfather. “Why, do I have her scent on me?”

“Just a whiff,” Henry smiled. “Was she pretty?”

Jamie stole another piece of cucumber.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Henry patted him on the shoulder. “Good, you need to put yourself out there. Sidney was a nice girl, but she wasn’t a wolf.”

“Wolves don’t always marry other wolves,” Jamie argued.

“No, and their marriages tend not to last.” Frank finished chopping and dumped the vegetables into the salad bowl. “Statistically speaking. Your sister didn’t marry a wolf, look what happened there.”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “It’s a stereotype, Dad. Besides, Erin’s marriage didn’t break up because she’s a wolf and he wasn’t.”

“No, it broke up because he’s a jackass,” Henry interjected. “You know exactly when he started pulling away.”

Yeah, Jamie did. The day Nicky’s genetic test came back. He sighed. “What’s for dinner, Pops?”

“Lasagna.”

“Great.”

“Go wash up,” Frank said. “It’ll be ready in half an hour.”

Jamie nodded and headed off to grab a shower.

***

Danny and Erin were downstairs when Jamie got out of the shower. “Hey, guess this means you’ve all heard the news?”

“You’d be correct,” Erin said.

“The guy that assaulted her is behind bars,” Danny said. “Pretty easy to find too. Still had her blood on his shirt.”

“She told me he was getting retribution because she informed on a friend of his.”

“Yeah, that’s true. I had word with the detective on the case. He should have made sure she was safe. Should’ve called CPS.” Danny growled.

“Well, she’ll be safe now.” Erin started heading for the dining room. “Surrounded by the most protective pack in New York.”

“You’ve got that right.” Danny nodded quickly. “ _And_ you better believe we’ll be putting a stop to her growing criminal record.”

“Come on, Danny. It was all small potatoes. Kid on the street has to survive.”

“Bleeding heart today, I see.” Danny thumped Jamie on the shoulder.

Jamie rolled his eyes. “I’m not a bleeding heart, Danny.”

“Sure you’re not.”

“Danny—”

“If you two are going to start something, I’d advise against it,” Frank interrupted. “It’s time for dinner.” He wasn’t going to let a fight get started right now.

“Yes, Dad,” Danny replied dutifully.

Jamie stayed quiet and headed into the dining room. He was too hungry to deal with Danny’s bullshit tonight anyway.

***

The case against Malevsky was getting stronger. Frank had Special Investigations tailing him and his buddies, waiting for the opportune moment. The only good news Jamie got out of any of it though, was that his gun had been found. He didn’t know they were tailing Malevsky. He wasn’t in the loop on that.

“It got turned in,” Renzulli said. “This morning.”

“IA gonna get involved?”

“Lt. Bello made some noise, but I pushed back.” Renzulli shrugged. “Special Investigations had everything squared, so I don’t know why he was making noise in the first place. Kind of weird.”

“Lots of things are weird lately.” Jamie slipped the gun in its holster. “We get any news on the poisonings?”

“Roth is out of the hospital. He wants to apologize to you. They found traces of Shade in his coffee cup. Spoke to the barista, nada.”

Jamie shook his head. “Somebody had to know something.”

“I agree, but we both know that targeted attacks against wolves are the purview of Special Investigations. They’ll work around the clock to find whoever’s doing this.”

“I know.”

“Okay. Go get the car, we’ve still got a patrol to do and maybe we can stop by the hospital, see Caitlin.” He tossed Jamie the car keys.

“Thanks, Sarge.” Jamie flashed a smile and hurried off to get the car.

***

Erin stared at Danny’s friend Cliff. There was something about the overly confident wolf that bothered her. He was good at what he did, she’d admit that, but he was just so…tall. Absurdly tall. And he smelled like cherries and cinnamon, baked in bread. He’d gotten them good information. Helped track down a good chunk of Malevsky’s web.

They were so close now.

“So,” she shifted in her seat. “You were part of the Marine’s wolf squadron?”

“You know they don’t call it that.” He smiled.

“Maybe not, but everybody else does.”

Cliff leaned forward. “You know, you’ve been edgy ever since you met me. There a reason for that?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I mean, circumstances and all.”

“You mean it’s hard bringing in an outsider to a pack problem.”

“This is more than a pack problem.” Erin sighed. “It’s an NYPD problem too.”

“Of course, but for you it’s personal. They killed your brother.”

“Yes, they did.” Erin swallowed. “But this can’t be about vengeance. It has to be about justice.”

“You’ll get no argument from me there. We’re close now. They’re putting something together. They know eyes are on them. They’ll have to make a move soon. When they do, we’ll take them down.”

“I just wish I knew why.”

“Yeah.” He tilted his head. “This kind of thing. Secret societies and all that. I remember my grandfather talking about this club from when he was a kid. The Silver Order. Anti-wolf types, you know? Before we had full integration.”

“I remember them from school.” Erin tucked her hair behind her ear. “Hasn’t been any sign of them in decades though.”

“I know, but the Blue Templar reminds me of them. I know, I know they were founded by wolves and regular cops, doesn’t mean there isn’t an anti-wolf sentiment now.”

“I guess we’ll find out.”

Cliff nodded. “Maybe after all of this is over, we could get a drink.”

“I—” she licked her lips. “Yeah. I’d like a drink.”

Cliff smiled.

***

Good things come to those who wait. Jamie had just got off his tour when he got the call. It was time to move. The Templar were gathering. They’d run Danny’s partner off the road, but she was all right. Danny tracked Malevsky down—with Cliff’s help—and the warrants went out.

Frank called in a team from Special Investigations to meet him at the location. Jamie met Danny there. They could hear the music pounding inside the bar, and a few cheers, but the music was drowning everything else out.

But when his father arrived, Danny and Jamie headed out to back him up. The assault team went in first, Danny next, Jamie just behind him. The music was cut. They secured the scene before signaling that it was safe for Frank to come in.

Frank stared at the gathering, eyes narrowing on Lt. Bello, he’d never even suspected the IA detective. Jamie wasn’t quite so surprised to see Grover amongst the gathering. He cuffed Bello, keeping his eyes on his father. Frank was exuding every inch of his power as packmaster. Jamie was sure that everyone could feel it, even the humans in the room were flinching, refusing to look up at the commissioner.

He was a powerful figure, but he rarely showed it. He sure as hell was now though.

“Before I take your shields, there’s a question I want answered.” Frank looked around the room, pacing back and forth. “Which one of you killed my son?”

No one would meet his eyes. Frank turned, pacing back toward the bar and swept a stack of glasses and bottles onto the floor in a rare show of rage.

“I’ll ask again.” He paused. “Who shot my boy?”

“Just so you know, it’s not like he wasn’t warned.” Malevsky’s voice rang out over the silence.

Frank turned back toward them, brow furrowed and eyes flashing in an even rare show of his wolf’s nature.

“Just like your whelp here.” Malevsky gestured toward Jamie, hands raised. “Again, and again, and again. But you people, you just don’t take a hint, do you?”

“Not from you we don’t,” Jamie replied evenly, but his eyes betrayed the temper he was holding back.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. It was nothing personal against Joe.”

“It was personal to us you scumbag,” Danny snarled.

Sonny shook his head and pulled his gun, pointing at his chin.

Frank took a breath. “We all die Sonny, it’s just a matter of when.”

“Well, at least I’ll die, knowing a took a few wolves with me along the way.” Sonny smiled.

Jamie wasn’t thinking, it was all instinct in that moment, but he fired. The bullet struck Sonny in the shoulder.

Danny rushed forward, pulling the gun from Sonny’s numb fingers and tucking it away. “Sorry, pal, you’re not dying today. You can stand trial for what you did.” He cuffed the man quickly.

“You son of a bitch,” Sonny snarled. “Well, literally, aren’t you?”

Danny smiled. “You know, somehow it doesn’t surprise me that you’re an asshole.” He was a little rougher than necessary, but no one was going to say a word about it.

Frank nodded in approval and looked around him. “All right. Take their badges and get them the hell out of my sight.” He moved toward Jamie, putting a steadying hand on his boy’s shoulder. “Take a deep breath.”

Jamie nodded, and breathed.

They caught Joe’s killer.

They caught Joe’s killer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I totally forgot Mike Colter had that little one episode spot, and rewatched the Blue Templar episode, spotted him and was like...yes, you and Erin are perfect. 
> 
> So that's happening.


	3. Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pack bonds, Caitlin joins the fold and there is much family fluff.
> 
>  
> 
> *Brief mentions of past abuse.

Frank took everyone out for a run at the NYPD’s reserve the next day. It wasn’t a full moon, but he knew they needed to connect. Pops didn’t change much outside the moon anymore, but he came out for this one. He prepped a cooler full of sandwiches and set the kids up in the picnic area while the rest of the pack headed for the loose stalls to protect their privacy while shifting. Some folks liked to take photos.

There was a heavy gate though, and rotating guards for protection.

After the run, they were all going to meet Caitlin. Eddie was going to bring her over to the house. DNA results weren’t back just yet, but they weren’t going to delay on account of that. Frank trusted Jamie’s judgement.

“You hear what they found on Malevsky?” Danny looked at his brother, stripping off his shirt.

“No.”

“Signet ring.” Danny took his shoes off. “For the Silver Order. You know, that anti-wolf group from back in the day.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. They found a couple, actually, in with those Blue Templars. Some folks in Special Investigations think the Order’s been hiding inside other organizations. That Joe’s death might even have been partly because he was a wolf, not just because he was a good cop.” Danny shook his head. “It’s just all kinds of messed up.”

“Yeah.” Jamie shook his head and stripped off his pants, folding them up with the rest of his clothes. “I knew some of that sentiment was still around, but I thought they’d stamped those guys out.”

“Me too, kid.” Danny stretched. “Okay. Enough shop talk. Let’s go run.”

Jamie wasn’t going to argue with that.

***

For Jamie, running with his pack was like a thousand sunny days rolled into one. He played tag with Erin and Danny while their dad watched from a little hill in amusement. The Reagan packmaster was a nearly black, shaggy wolf with bits of silver woven through. He was a huge wolf, the largest in the pack. Danny’s wolf was smaller, brownish gold with a thick ruff. Erin was a much sleeker specimen, with reddish brown fur and long legs. Jamie was quite the contrast with golden fur that caught the light.

Pops was flopped on the ground near Frank, his white fur drawing a greater contrast. The old wolf still exuded power in spite of his age, and was built heavily through the chest, much like Danny. Linda was closer to the kids, keeping an eye on them. She was a paler gold than Jamie, smaller and no less dangerous.

Sean and Jack played catch, though every once and while Danny or Linda would head over and steal the ball with a playful bark. Nicky was perched on a picnic table, texting one of her friends.

But even with all the closest family running with him, Jamie knew there were people missing. Joe was missing. His mom. Caitlin would be with them soon though. But as Jamie peeled off from the game of tag, panting to cool down, he felt like someone else was missing.

He couldn’t pin it down though. It was just—something. Someone. He shook himself and trotted over to the kids, stealing their ball himself this time.

“Uncle Jamie!” Sean shouted. “Give that back!”

Nicky laughed. “You know you’re not getting that back. Uncle Jamie’s gonna bury that thing in the woods.”

She wasn’t wrong. Jamie was infamous for stashing balls, frisbees, whatever. Sean groaned.

Jamie just kept on running.

***

Loose-limbed and relaxed, Jamie sprawled on the sunroom couch. His stomach was full and he was content for the first time he could remember in a long time.

Erin smiled, running a hand through his hair and settling in the chair next to the couch. “You look happy.”

“I am.” He opened his eyes and smiled at her. “I always feel good after a run.”

“Me too.” She laid her head back. “I can’t believe Nicky will be running with us soon. It feels like yesterday that we got her results.”

“Yeah.” Jamie smiled. “But we’ll have a pup to run with us sooner than that even.”

“I know. I’m looking forward to meeting Caitlin.”

“I hear you’re meeting someone else too, tomorrow, for drinks?” Jamie bit his lip.

Erin rolled her eyes. “Does nothing stay a secret in this family?”

“Not really.” Jamie grinned.

“Does Danny know?”

“No way. You need to get out more and Cliff is a great guy. It’s just drinks.” Jamie stretched. “I want to see you happy, sis.”

“Aww, thanks.”

“You two look cozy,” Linda said. “Ready to meet Caitlin?”

“Very much so,” Erin replied.

“She’s a sweet kid.” Linda sat next to Jamie, forcing him to shift a bit. “Eager to get out of the hospital, I might add.”

“You spend a lot of time with her?” Erin asked.

“A bit. I wanted to make sure she was adjusting okay to the bond. She needs tactile reassurance. She needs to run with the pack. But bonding with us on the human level is necessary first, you know.”

Erin nodded. “I know. What time is she supposed to get here?”

“She and her case worker will be here around five.”

“Her case worker any good?”

“Oh yeah,” Jamie said. “Eddie Janko. She’s got a reputation for being protective of her charges.”

“A real mama wolf,” Linda tacked on. “She got into it with a nurse who didn’t follow proper procedure with a young wolf. I was impressed. Some of the CPS people have stopped caring. They get flooded with cases, worn down. She still cares.”

“Yeah.”

“Sounds like somebody’s got a little crush,” Erin teased.

“Oh, I know that’s right.” Linda smiled. “I think she might even have a little thing for you, Jamie. She asked about you.”

“She did?”

Linda laughed. “Yeah, she did.”

“On a somewhat more serious note,” Erin straightened. “You all read Caitlin’s file?”

“Yeah,” Linda nodded. “A few too many hospital visits when she was in foster care. Some of those placements of hers…”

“I know,” Erin said. “I looked into the families. One of her foster fathers was arrested, he’s still in prison for child abuse. Another family has been disqualified from fostering. One of her foster mothers, it looked like a good family, she died.”

“Poor kid.” Linda shook her head. “Tough though. But, she does have a thing about religion.”

“Oh?” Erin raised her eyebrows. “How’s that?”

“I told her I’d say a prayer for her. She didn’t tell me shove it or anything, but I could tell she wasn’t happy.”

“That should be a fun conversation,” Jamie snorted and sat up, checking the time. “It’s getting late, I should change. You know. Spruce up a bit.”

“Right.” Erin smiled, shaking her head. “This should be good.”

***

Caitlin wasn’t sure what to think about being part of a pack. The feeling of being part of something more than herself was strange, but even stranger was missing people she barely knew when they weren’t around. It almost hurt. But she’d only known what she was for all of two months. Two _scary_ months. She’d felt better these past few days than she had since that first night when her bones broke and reformed and fur grew all over her body.

She’d killed a raccoon.

The idea that she had family was even stranger. She’d always wanted one. Ever since her mom died and she ended up on her own in the foster system, she’d wanted a proper family. People that would take care of her. People that would _care_ about her. All her foster families ever wanted was the government paycheck. Well, there was one good one in there, but she died. It was the last time Caitlin ever let herself hope for a family.

“Hey, kid.” Eddie smiled at her. “You ready to go?”

Caitlin shrugged on her coat and nodded. “Thanks for the clothes.”

“Not at all.” Eddie eyed the fit. “You needed them. How are you feeling?”

“Weird. Hopeful? I dunno.”

“Good.” Eddie squeezed Caitlin’s arm. “Come on, there are some people that are very excited to meet you.”

For once, Caitlin really believed that.

***

“All I’m saying is, it’ll be nice to have another girl in the family,” Nicky said. “There are way too many boys.”

Erin smiled. “I’ve got agree with Nicky on this one.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Danny waved a hand.

A knock on the front door had everyone’s attention in a flash.

Jamie jumped to his feet, but waited quietly as Frank headed to the door. Eddie was waiting on the other side, Caitlin at her side. The little redhead looked nervous, smelled nervous. Frank flashed his most reassuring smile. “You must be Caitlin—and Ms. Janko. Please come in.” He stepped back and Eddie gently herded Caitlin inside and into the foyer, so Frank could close the door.

“Hey, Caitlin,” Jamie stepped up. “You look a lot better. How are you feeling?” He smiled.

“Okay.” She exhaled.

“So,” Frank rejoined the group, “why don’t we all go sit down in the living room? We got some pizza and drinks. Are you hungry?”

Caitlin nodded after Eddie gave her an encouraging shoulder squeeze.

“I’m Frank Reagan, the packmaster of the Reagan pack. Do you know what that means?” Frank gestured for the girl to walk next to him.

“I’ve read the pamphlets. They looked like they were designed in the eighties.” She managed a small smile. “It means you’re in charge of the pack.”

“That’s right.” He flashed a look at his hovering children that very clearly said _patience._ “But that doesn’t mean you should be afraid of me. Though I can be, I’ve been told, a bit scary.”

“A bit, Dad?” Jamie remarked.

Frank gave him a look and sat down in the living room, nodding toward the couch in invitation. Caitlin sat on the edge of the cushion, still looking a bit like she might flee at any moment.

“Being a part of my pack means you are under my protection. People like Billy Kimble will never get near you again. What you did, informing on Eddie Cartwright, that was brave. He’s a dangerous man and you did a very good thing helping get him off the streets.”

Caitlin swallowed. “Thank you.”

“I also know that you’ve had a hard time of it since your mom died. I can forgive what you had to do to survive on the streets, but you do understand that I expect you to obey the law from this point forward.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. I understand you are aware that there is a possibility that your father was my son, Joe.”

“I am. Jamie told me what happened to him. That you caught the guy that did it. That he’s sure but you’re waiting for DNA.” Caitlin fiddled with the cuff of her sleeve.

“That’s right.” But sitting there with her, Frank could feel what Jamie had felt. The pack bond forming effortlessly, as if it had always been there, just hidden away. It was a family bond. “But regardless of the DNA test, you are a member of this pack. The bond you share with us proves that.”

“I can feel it—expanding? Like there are…more pieces.”

Frank nodded. “It only takes close proximity after the initial bond is recognized. So what you’re feeling is me and my son Danny, my daughter Erin and my father.” Frank pointed them out. They’d all gathered in the doorway while Frank spoke to Caitlin. “And of course you’ve already bonded to Danny’s wife Linda and Jaime.”

“Yes.” Caitlin nodded. “The one to you…feels different. Bigger?”

Frank smiled. “That’s the bond of a wolf to their packmaster. Recognition of my role.”

“Oh.” Caitlin looked down at her lap and without consciously thinking about it, pulled her hair to one side, baring her neck.

Frank smiled and reached out, placing a hand on the bared skin and squeezing gently to acknowledge her acceptance. “Good girl.”

Caitlin looked up, meeting his eyes for the first time since coming into the house. “I don’t know if I know how to be…to be a part of something.”

“That’s okay. We’ll help you with that. It’s what family does.” Frank smiled. “Now, why don’t we eat? And you can meet the other kids. Ms. Janko, is there anything else we need to do?”

“I just have a few papers for you to sign, Commissioner.”

“Great. And I hope you will join us for dinner.”

“Oh, well—”

“You really should,” Henry said, smiling at her. “We ordered a bit too much.”

“Well, I suppose it won’t hurt to stay.” Eddie smiled back. “Thank you.”

Frank took the packet of papers from Eddie, setting them on the dining room table and pulling a pen from his pocket.

“Just sign where I’ve flagged.”

“All right.” Frank signed. “Any news on the DNA test?” He couldn’t help but note Caitlin’s full name. _Caitlin Josephine Driscoll._ Had Lizzie done that on purpose? Had she named her girl after Joe?

“They expedited things, but it’ll still be a couple days. You know how backed up those labs get, we’re lucky it’s not going to be months.”

“One of the perks of being the Police Commissioner.” Frank smiled. “Though I admit, it was a little strange asking for the favor.”

“I’ve heard that about you, that you don’t trade on your name.” Eddie smiled. “It’s admirable.”

Frank glanced at her. “Your name is a bit familiar. You ever test for the academy?”

“I did, but I couldn’t get past the gun tests. My wolf, gun shy. Couldn’t shake it. But doing this? This is good too.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m still helping. There are a lot of kids out there that need help.”

“Yes, there are.” Frank nodded and signed on the last line. “People forget it’s still service, what you do. The community certainly needs more wolves in public service.”

“There aren’t enough in the NYPD?” Eddie raised her eyebrows.

Frank smiled. “Yes, there are a lot of wolves in the police force. And the fire department. But other public service arenas are lacking a bit.”

“Very true, sir.” Eddie took the papers and put them in her bag.

“Is Eddie short for something?” Frank asked.

“Edit, my grandmother’s name. It’s a bit harder to live with, day to day.”

Jamie smiled. “I like Eddie, it’s a good name.”

“Well thank you, Officer.”

“Jamie, please.”

“Jamie.”

Erin exchanged a look with Linda.

“So, Caitlin,” Nicky took the seat next to the other teen. “This must all be a little—overwhelming.” Everyone was giving Caitlin space, but she was definitely looking a bit nervous. There were a _lot_ of people. She wasn’t used to big families. Her family had always been small. Her and her mom had lived in their own little world.

“A bit,” Caitlin admitted.

“Well, we don’t bite. I don’t bite anyway.” Nicky smiled. “I’ll be shifting in about a year myself. We’ll see if that changes.”

Caitlin laughed.

The whole table subtly glanced over at the girls. Jamie smiled.

“You’re terrible,” Caitlin said.

“I do my best. What kind of pizza do you want?”

“Well…I’m pretty sure I smell sardines on one of those.”

“Yes,” Jamie exclaimed. “One more for my team.”

Nicky rolled her eyes. “Figures.”

Jamie picked up the box with the sardine and olive pizza and shifted down to sit next to Caitlin. “We’ll share.”

“Thanks.” Caitlin managed a smile. “It’s usually just me.”

“Yeah, I know how you feel. Nobody respects the sardines.”

“Maybe that’s because fish doesn’t belong pizza,” Danny said.

Jamie waved a hand, dismissing Danny. “You’ve never had good taste. Well, except for Linda. Linda is awesome.”

“Thank you,” Linda said.

Jamie opened the pizza box. “Go ahead, Caitlin.” No matter what the tabloids thought, or the sensationalized books from so-called scientists, werewolf packs didn’t operate on the “alpha” dynamics popularized by sleazy romance novels. They didn’t even operate quite like wolf packs. But regardless of all that, the kids always ate first. That was the point of pack after all. Family. Protecting the pups would always come first.

Making sure they ate was a part of that.

Frank smiled, seeing his youngest so gently nudging Caitlin. A lot of people had asked him in the past few years who would succeed him as packmaster. He was certain, more than certain, that when that day came it would be Jamie. Erin had the nerve. Danny had the fire.

But Jamie? He had heart, and a core of steel to go with it. He’d bring the Reagan pack into the 21st century. Frank turned his attention to Eddie, who’d settled next to Linda. The young woman certainly had his son’s attention.

She had Frank’s attention as well. There was something about her story, her name, that tickled a memory for him. But tonight wasn’t the time for mulling over mysteries. It was the time to celebrate a new wolf joining their pack.

Time to celebrate that Joe’s killer was behind bars.

Mysteries could wait until the morning.

***

The next morning, Caitlin woke up early. She usually did. She’d get up early and pick up cans to turn in for change. She didn’t have to do that anymore. She wasn’t sure she’d accepted that yet, but she was trying. What she felt, the bond joining her to the rest of the pack, she couldn’t pretend it didn’t exist.

It was a peculiar kind of comfort. _Mystical nonsense_. Mystical nonsense that made her feel safe. Wanted. Everything she’d thought she lost once her mom died.

Joseph Reagan. When Jamie explained that his brother might be her father, she’d remembered something her mother had told her. _I named you for your father. Caitlin Josephine._ It was more than a coincidence.

She slipped out of bed and padded to the vanity. Her hair was a mess. She always felt a bit like Merida first thing in the morning. She dug out her comb and tamed the beast a bit before heading downstairs. Henry was already up, drinking a cup of coffee in the sunroom.

“Morning, sunshine,” he smiled. “You an early bird too?”

“I guess.” She sucked on her lower lip. “It’s Henry, right?”

“Yes, but you can also call me Pops. You hungry?”

“Not yet, I’m usually not when I first wake up.” She padded into the sunroom and sat down.

“Okay.” He tilted his head. “You sleep all right?”

“Yeah. I haven’t felt this…safe, in a long time.” She brushed her hair back behind her ear. “I forgot that I could feel safe.”

Henry set his coffee aside. He couldn’t help feeling a bit gutted by that soft admission. That one of his pack, one of his grandchildren, had been through what Caitlin had been through—it made him want to get back into a uniform and hit the streets.

“Would it be all right if I hugged you?” Henry asked.

Caitlin blinked. “I—yes.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

Henry shifted over to the couch and pulled her into his arms. “I’m so sorry you haven’t felt safe.”

Caitlin laid her head on his shoulder, taking an uneven breath. “Do you think I’m really Joe’s daughter?”

“Think? No. But I feel it.” He rubbed her back. “And that’s enough for me.”

She didn’t know why, but she started to cry.

Henry didn’t say a word, understanding all too well from the cadence of her tears she wouldn’t be able to stop anytime soon. He just held her.

***

With the kids safe with Pops, everyone else headed into work. They still had open cases after all.

“Morning, partner,” Renzulli said. “Ready for a normal, routine tour?” He led them out to the car.

“Yeah,” Jamie nodded. “Routine is exactly what I need right now.”

“So how’s the kid?”

“She’s settling in. It’ll take time. Things like this do.” Jamie slid into the driver’s seat. “Have to admit, it’s kind of weird to go from such a big arrest to…being back here.”

Renzulli snorted. “You got a taste of detective work and you liked it. Doesn’t surprise me, it’s in your blood.”

“You ever want to be a detective, Sarge?”

“Nah, I like where I am. But I’d put money down that you piqued the interest of Special Investigations.” Renzulli gave him a look. “You’re gonna get tapped for an undercover assignment next week.”

“I am?”

“You are.”

Jamie smiled. “Wow.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go before your head gets too big.”

Jamie started up the car, but he couldn’t help drumming his fingers on the steering wheel in a little flash of glee. _Undercover work._ This was his chance to prove there was a good reason he’d graduated at the top of his class.

***

The first day of the full moon fell on Thursday, which shifted most of the wolves to day shift for the next three days. Those that weren’t were mostly in narcotics and had volunteered to be on duty while shifted for one night of the three. The packmasters, having much less of an urge to shift during the full moon, were mostly on duty. Though Frank was not among them this time. He didn’t always run on all three nights with his kids, but this was a special occasion.

Caitlin wasn’t sure what to expect for her first full moon with the pack, but Erin and Linda were there with her in the changing area to help.

“It’s okay,” Linda said. “This will go easier if you relax. We get through this, and we can start working on voluntary shifting. It’ll make it easier. And it does get easier, sweetheart.”

“Okay.” Caitlin felt a bit weird stripping, but she didn’t want to ruin her new clothes. Erin and Linda had taken her shopping with Nicky. It wasn’t really because she felt uncomfortable being naked, that particular piece of social conditioning had flown out the window the first time her bones had all broken and reformed and she’d ended up walking around naked and bloody, partially covered in racoon fur.

Her issue was that she hadn’t always had a wolf’s healing factor. There were old scars she didn’t want to rehash. She didn’t like the looks she got when people saw them. The memories they brought back. But Linda and Erin stayed quiet, cataloguing the injuries. Knowing what had happened to her was important for the future.

The whole pack felt the moon’s call in the same moment. It was a jolt, like electricity, tingling all over the skin. Caitlin pressed a hand to her stomach.

“It’s all right,” Linda said. “Just breathe.”

“Picture the wolf in your mind,” Erin added. “Let her pull you through this.”

Caitlin dropped to her knees, back arching. She couldn’t help the moan, almost a growl, that ripped out of her.

“That’s it,” Erin encouraged. “Let the change happen.”

With Erin and Linda encouraging her, it felt different. Easier. And sooner than any of her previous changes, a delicate red wolf picked herself off the ground, shaking off the last itch of the change. Erin and Linda shifted and led her out into the reserve.

Jamie barked at her the moment he saw her and bounded over. There was a moment of shyness, but Caitlin was far more confident on four legs than two. She bumped Jamie on the shoulder and took off. Jamie, recognizing a game of tag when he saw one, took off after her.

***

Caitlin was all smiles when the drove to breakfast the next morning, feeling like she fit in her skin for the first time in weeks. Playing with her pack, chasing and hunting, it had felt so right. Watching everybody else order at the diner before she did made it easier too, to order as much food as she knew she needed. A wolf’s metabolism was not a human’s. She used to get looks eating four cheeseburgers in a row—but she didn’t have to worry here. With her pack.

Frank’s phone went off as their drinks were brought around. “Reagan.” He listened, giving a few affirmatives, and then hung up. “Well, that was the DNA lab.”

Caitlin immediately perked up, a slight chill of expectation rolling over her shoulders.

“Well?” Erin prodded.

“She’s Joe’s daughter. Caitlin, you are a Reagan. No doubt about it.”

Nicky grinned, clapping Caitlin on the shoulder. “I knew it.”

Caitlin flushed and ducked her head.

Three waiters came over, carrying trays. The piles of pancakes, waffles, sausage and bacon, eggs, fruit—it was practically the entire breakfast menu a few times over. Once everything was settled, Frank pulled a small velvet jewelry box from his pocket.

“Before I forget, this is for you, Caitlin.”

She blinked, taking the box. She popped open the box, the hinge creaked. Inside, resting on a white puff of satin, was a silver and black enamel disc, a crescent moon in the middle of the black. The back was engraved with the Reagan crest.

“It’s beautiful, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I’ll help you with that,” Nicky said.

“Thanks.” Caitlin pulled her hair back and Nicky carefully clasped the necklace around her cousin’s neck.

“Perfect.” Nicky smiled.

“That’s more than just jewelry,” Danny said. “It’s important that people can ID you as a wolf. People like EMT’s, cops, you understand?”

Caitlin nodded.

“Good girl.” Danny smiled. “Now eat. You ran all over the place last night, gotta replace those calories.”

“That’s not exactly how that works,” Linda said. “But yeah, kids, eat.”

Jamie shook his head. “Bunch of mother-hens around here.”

Erin gave him a look. “I don’t see any vegetables on your plate, Jamison.”

He scoffed. “Like there are vegetables on the girls’ plates? Half that is whipped cream.”

“I’ll have you know I have fruit under this whipped cream,” Nicky returned.

“Oh-ho, forgive me.” Jamie held up his hands. “I missed the fruit under the sea of sugar.”

Caitlin laughed and dug into her waffles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is there something more to Eddie Janko than meets the eye? Probably, she's awesome.


	4. Authority

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jamie deals with the wrap-up of his undercover work with Sanfino. The investigation into the poisonings continues. 
> 
>  
> 
> *ware spanking

_A few months later_

The sound of the siren and the familiar flash of red and blue lights had Caitlin sinking down into her seat. “What did you do?” She glanced at Tony. “We weren’t even speeding.”

“Nothing.”

“You know my grandpa is the Police Commissioner, right? Like, my whole family is cops.”

Tony blanched.

The officers approached on either side, one of them knocking on Tony’s window. The kid rolled it down. “Hey officer.”

“License please.” The officer peered in, spotting Caitlin. “And what’s your name?”

“Caitlin. Reagan.” She sighed. “And yeah, I’m related to who you think I am. Also, I’ve only been out with this guy like once.” She fiddled with her necklace.

The officer blinked. “Fantastic. Anthony Little, I have reason to believe you are in possession of narcotics. If you could both exit the vehicle, please.”

Caitlin got out of the car, keeping her hands in sight and walking to the sidewalk. “Is it okay if I call my grandpa? I’ve got a curfew. My phone is in my left-hand pocket.”

“Go ahead.”

“Kitty,” Tony whined.

“I’m not getting in trouble for you.” She picked up her phone and dialed—it went to voicemail. “Hey Grandpa, it’s Caitlin. Just so you know, I’m probably gonna get arrested, but I swear, I didn’t do anything. See you at the station maybe?” She hung up and dropped her phone into her pocket.

“You are such a bitch!”

“Hey, hey, don’t talk to her like that.”

“Oh look,” the second officer pulled a bag of pills out of the car. “Planning a party, Tony?”

“Yeah, very funny.”

“Are they yours?” the officer asked.

Caitlin gave Tony a look that was about fifty percent wolf.

He blanched. “Yes,” Tony hissed.

“Okay, arrest him. Miss Reagan, I’ll need you to come down to the station too. Make a statement.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Caitlin sighed. This was not how she wanted this day to go.

***

Caitlin was all too familiar with police precincts, but more than a little happy she wasn’t _anywhere_ near Uncle Jamie or Uncle Danny’s stations when Tony got pulled over. She kicked her feet, wishing the chair was more comfortable. She caught a familiar scent a moment later.

“Hey, kid.”

Caitlin sighed. “Uncle Danny.”

“How’d you get mixed up with that idiot?”

“He goes to my school.” She stood up and tossed her head. “Not like we met in a dark alley or anything. I didn’t know the drugs were in the car. I didn’t know he was dealing. I didn’t even smell the drugs.”

“That seems like something you ought to know.” Danny gave her a look. “And how come I didn’t hear about this Tony guy _before_ you got in car with him? I thought the rule was we all know who you’re with. And we meet people before you ride with them.”

Caitlin frowned and tried to look anywhere but at her uncle.

“Caitlin Josephine Elizabeth Driscoll Reagan,” he kept his tone level.

There was nothing worse than someone breaking out the whole mess that was her name. _Uh oh._ She sighed and glanced over at him. “I just wanted a little time to myself without being followed by an unmarked car.”

“Uh huh. Grandpa’s got the final say here, but don’t be surprised if you end up on house arrest.” Danny shook his head. “Come on, I’m taking you home.”

“The arresting officers okay that?”

Danny rolled his eyes. “You weren’t under arrest, a fact you should be very grateful for.”

“I am.”

He put an around her shoulders. “Come on, Grandpa’s waiting for you.”

_So dead. I am so dead._

***

Frank paced while Caitlin stewed a bit in the sunroom. “She didn’t know there were drugs in the car?”

“No,” Danny shook his head. “You know she didn’t. I know Cat can be a little squirrelly, but she’s not stupid.”

“No, she’s not.” Frank sighed. “But she’s still in trouble.”

“Well, yeah. I’m just saying, you know she wouldn’t have gotten in the car if she knew.”

“I do.” He shook his head. “All right, I’ll talk to her.”

“She grounded?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Okay, I gotta get home. Call me with the details later.” Danny waved and headed out.

Frank sighed and headed back into the sunroom. “All right, Caitlin, explain to me why you lied about where you were going, got in a car with someone I haven’t vetted which then led to you almost getting arrested.” 

“I think the _almost_ is really important here, Grandpa.”

“I think you broke the rules.” He gave her a sharp look. “Now, answer my questions.”

“I just wanted to go somewhere with someone without it being a thing. Without it being looked at hundred different ways. Without being followed by an unmarked car to go to the movies with my friends. I’m sixteen.”

“You are sixteen, which is not the same as eighteen. And you know full well that the guidelines are there for your protection.” He sat down across from her. “If you want me to relax some of those guidelines, you need to start showing me you can be trusted. This is not showing me that.”

Caitlin sighed.

“So you’re grounded for a month. You come straight home from school. You do your homework. No friends. No outings.”

“I didn’t _know_ he had drugs, Grandpa.”

“I don’t think yelling at me is the right play here, Caitlin.”

She turned her attention to the floor.

“You have anything else to say?” He waited for a count of ten. “Then you can go to your room. And don’t even _think_ of slamming that door.”

Caitlin stood up and stormed, quietly, out of the room and up the stairs.

Frank sighed. Raising kids never got easier. Raising pups either. Normally, this would’ve earned a spanking, but he was more than cautious with Caitlin. He still remembered the one and only time they’d tried to take her to Mass. She’d had a panic attack less than halfway through. Her foster families had done a number on her. He was still trying to combat those effects. He never wanted to remind her of those days.

She did know, though, that he dole out spankings to his pack. Most wolves needed physical discipline to deal with guilt. It was his job to sort out who needed what. For now at least, Caitlin responded to groundings. He wasn’t sure what he would do if that stopped working. It was a bridge to cross when he came to it.

***

Caitlin wasn’t alone in house arrest. That evening, the results of Jamie’s previous undercover work resulted in the worst possible news. There was a price on his head. Or rather, the head of James Riordan. When he’d saved Noble Sanfino from a near overdose, he’d never expected to get so tangled up.

Except there he was, stuck in his childhood home with Pops and Frank, not allowed to leave.

“So, what is this, I’m grounded?” He pushed the paperwork describing his detail aside. There was more than a hint of attitude there.

“I’ve got everybody up on the OC wires to find more details, but for now, yes, you are confined to this house.” Frank poured himself a cup of coffee.

“For how long?” Jamie gave his father a look he hadn’t pulled out with frequency since he was a teenager.

“As long as it takes.”

“Do I have a curfew? Can I stay up and watch Jon Stewart?”

His father gave him an appraising look. “Do you think this is funny?”

“No, I think it’s ridiculous. You wouldn’t do this to any other cop caught in the same situation.” While his volume didn’t go up, the attitude was still there.

Frank raised his eyebrows and grabbed his briefcase. “I damn sure would. I just wouldn’t have them move in with me.” He gave his son a look that was definitely, _you want to keep pushing me?_

Jamie deflated a bit. “There’s gotta be something I can do besides sit here.”

“Well, my dining room chair’s a bit wobbly, there’s some Gorilla Glue in the garage.” Frank picked up his coffee and headed out to work. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Jamie frowned. Yeah. This wasn’t going to go well.

***

“Excuse me, Sergeant Renzulli?”

Renzulli turned around. “It’s Eddie Janko, right?”

“That’s right.” She smiled. “Could we talk in your office?”

“Of course.” He gestured for her to go ahead of her and followed her inside, closing the door behind him. “What can I do for you?”

“I was looking for Officer Reagan,” she admitted. “But I understand he’s under protection.”

“He is, and I’m rather curious how you discovered that.” Renzulli leaned against his desk.

She looked a bit shamefaced. “Well, I wasn’t entirely upfront with you about my affiliations.” Eddie reached into her jacket and pulled out her wallet. She tugged a pitch-black card free and handed it over.

Renzulli raised his eyebrows. “Well, I knew Special Investigations has people in strange places, didn’t realize they were embedding people in Social Services.”

Eddie shrugged. “I don’t carry a gun, but I’m still a damn fine investigator. So they gave me a shot. You know how it is. We have to investigate if there could be bias against wolves. Social Services let a few too many pups slip through the cracks. Caitlin was only the cherry on top. I finished my investigation soon after but…” She licked her lips. “I want to reach out to Jamie.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve been thinking about him ever since we met. About his scent. His smile. Can’t get it out of my head. You know him so—you think me being Special Investigations will bother him at all?”

Renzulli smiled and handed back the card. “I think he’ll get over it. I know a lot of folks see Special Investigations as a bogeyman inside the department. Jamie’s not one of them. His old man was on their team for a spell.”

“Great. That’s at least a little reassuring.”

“Yeah, I know.” Renzulli nodded. “Well, you’ve got my blessing. And you know, if you’re still thinking about him. Still remember his scent…that says something, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Eddie nodded. “Can’t say I’m not a little afraid of that.” She smiled and left his office.

Renzulli shook his head. “Reagan better not fuck that up.”

***

“I hear your brother is grounded,” Cliff leaned forward.

“And how did you hear that?” Erin raised her eyebrows, jamming her fork into her salad.

“I have my sources.” He smiled. “Just like I know you left something in my apartment last night.”

“You’re a bad man.”

“That’s one of the things you like about me.”

She closed her eyes and took a breath. “I know.”

“How is Jamie?”

“He’ll be okay. He might push Dad’s buttons a bit while this is going on.” Erin shook her head. “He’s like that. Which is why I’m going to steer clear of the house until this is over.” She paused. “Nicky, however, is going to spend the night there tonight. She’s getting closer to her first shift. Needs to spend time with her grandpa.”

“I remember how that goes.” Cliff reached out and took her hand. “You want some company tonight?”

“I wouldn’t mind.” She smiled.

Cliff smiled back.

***

Sunday dinner came around with Jamie still on house arrest—and pissed. The argument between him and Danny might not have been so heated, but Jamie’d been cooking for days now and he wasn’t in the mood for Danny being…Danny.

“Let’s keep this civil,” Frank interrupted.

“This is civil,” Jamie snarled.

“Oh yeah?” Danny asked. “If this is what you call civil, I’d hate to see what you think isn’t. That guy got what was coming to him.”

Jamie stood up. “That is total bullshit.”

“Jamison,” Frank dipped into the _tone_. “Go to my office before you say something you’ll really regret.”

“The only thing I regret is not going out there and bringing Sanfino in myself!” Jamie shoved his chair in and stormed off.

Frank sighed. “Well then.” He set his napkin aside. “If you’ll excuse me.” He stood up and followed Jamie.

“I’ll clear,” Erin said.

“I’ll help you,” Caitlin said.

“Me too.” Nicky stood up.

Danny sighed. “And I’ll put on the radio. Boys, why don’t you go play outside for a bit?”

“Okay!”

Linda watched her boys hurry off and sighed. “Don’t wrestle in the grass!”

Frank headed upstairs to his office after Jamie. Jamie, who was pacing. “You’ve been simmering all week. Maybe we should’ve addressed this sooner, but beyond giving me attitude you didn’t really cross any lines.” Frank closed the door behind him.

Jamie’s ears went red. “Dad—”

“No, you know as well as I do that you and your wolf have been pushing because you’re feeling like your boundaries aren’t where they should be. Well, let’s put them back in place.” Frank pulled a chair away from the wall and sat down. “You can keep the pants.”

“Dad—”

“One.”

Jamie wasn’t about to let his dad start counting. He put himself over his father’s lap, bracing himself on the legs of the chair. _This sucks._ The first hard swat rocked him forward a bit. He clenched his jaw. It wasn’t the first time he’d gotten spanked after a Sunday dinner, but it hadn’t happened since he was a teenager.

He had a feeling though, that he was in for the long haul on this one. He knew he’d been toeing the line with his dad these past few days, but he was pissed and Danny didn’t have the right to decide who did and didn’t deserve saving. Everybody deserved a fair shake.

A second chance.

“Danny started this,” he complained. “You can’t tell me you agree with him.”

“This has nothing to do with the disagreement itself, which you damn well know, Jamie.” Frank applied a couple harder swats to Jamie’s thighs. “This is about disrespectful behavior, attitude and swearing in front of the kids.” He emphasized the infractions with swats.

“Then how come Danny isn’t in trouble?” Jamie resisted the urge to whine.

“Danny hasn’t been giving me attitude for a week.” Frank shook his head. “And if you don’t want to lose the pants, you need to focus on you and stop trying to shift the blame to Danny.”

Jamie flushed. “Yes, sir.” Being forced to focus on himself brought all the guilt bubbling to surface where it belonged. The thought that Noble was dead because of him…Jamie just couldn’t deal with that. Danny being an ass was just the last straw. Jamie was born with a moral compass that pointed true North, his brother could call him a bleeding heart all he wanted, but that didn’t change how Jamie felt.

“If Noble Sanfino dies, that’s not your fault Jamie. And Danny is being an ass, because he’s scared. Scared he’d lose you. Losing you…that’s been at the forefront of his mind, my mind, Pop’s mind, since you joined the force. Because we lost Joe.” The swats softened a touch. “Losing you would kill me. Kill Danny. That’s why Danny was arguing with you, pup. He doesn’t want you dying to protect someone else. Especially not a criminal.”

“Bu that’s—” Jamie choked on his first tears. “That’s my choice.”

“Maybe.” Frank swallowed. “But it’s his choice not to let you.”

“I’m just tired of being treated like I’m made of glass.”

“I know.” But it was hard not to be protective of his baby boy. He was protective of all his children, whether they knew it or not. It was just a little more overt with Jamie. “Now, let’s finish this.”

Jamie didn’t particularly like the sound of that.

***

Sore, though more relaxed, Jamie was settled in the living room playing rummy with Caitlin when his phone went off.

_Noble._ Jamie swallowed. “I gotta take this, Caitie, sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She glanced at Henry. “You want to take over his hand?”

“Sure thing.” Henry took Jamie’s seat.

Jamie headed out to the sunroom, staring down at the text message. Frank joined him there a moment later. “That news?”

“Noble’s alive. Took a bullet, now he’s on the run.” Jamie took a breath.

“If you could meet with him, would you?”

“Yeah, but that’s not possible given the circumstances.”

Frank frowned. “No. Call him, tell him you want to meet.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Frank clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll talk to the detail.”

Jamie smiled.

***

With the Noble Sanfino situation resolved in a satisfactory manner, Jamie was finally able to get back to work.

“Nice to have my partner back,” Renzulli said. “You have fun on house arrest?”

“Tons.” Jamie gave him a look. “Caitlin’s still in trouble for that ride with the drug baron, so she’s sulking and I think between the two of us we may have broken a record—for sulking.”

“Oh I believe it. I also believe that Eddie Janko came looking for you while you were gone.”

Jamie froze. “She did?”

“Yup. I think you got yourself an admirer.”

When the tips of Jamie’s ears went a bit red, Renzulli grinned.

“Come on, let’s get on patrol. Maybe we’ll see Ms. Janko while we’re out.”

Jamie shook his head and made a beeline for the car. He was so not talking about this.  

***

It was a well-kept secret that Detective Abigail Baker was Frank’s liaison with Special Investigations. She walked into Frank’s office Monday morning with a black file and her usual somewhat inscrutable expression.

“Sir, we have an update for you on the poisonings.”

Frank sighed. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like this update very much.”

Baker shrugged and set the file down on his desk. “Near as we can tell, there is definitely an Order presence within some of the clubs and fraternal organizations and we believe they are involved in the poisonings. As you know, we have had two more since Roth was hit. A patrol officer and a warrant officer.”

Frank nodded. “Have we identified Order members?”

“We have about a dozen names at this time and we’re still looking.” Baker sighed. “Sir, I think we should begin taking preventative measures.”

“What do you suggest?”

“Shade can be identified in liquids with a test strip. We could pass them out, discreetly. Right now, I believe the Order is testing distribution. But they could instigate a mass-poisoning at any time. We need to be prepared for that.”

That was a nightmare scenario, but Baker wasn’t wrong. “All right. Discreetly. Have you cleared all of the top brass?”

“For the most part.”

“Anyone you’ve cleared, I want them in my office at some point today. We need to talk strategy.”

“Yes, sir.” Baker nodded and left the office.

Frank sighed. If the Order was plotting a larger scale attack… The after-effects could be catastrophic not only to the wolves of New York, but to the public perception of wolves all over the country. He couldn’t let that happen.

He carefully unlocked the smallest drawer on his desk and pulled out the leather box inside, setting it on top of his desk. It was one of the deepest secrets of New York’s wolves. The identity of which packmaster held the title of Mac. Back in the day, it was rí mac tíre, _wolf king_. They’d shortened it to Mac for convenience sake.

It was a regional title, state by state, the packmaster that made the final calls. Settled disputes amongst wolves. A function that had been somewhat more important before wolves came out and merged with the rest of society. But disputes still happened, pack feuds, and the Mac was responsible for settling them. They were also responsible for protecting the packs under their jurisdiction from threats.

Frank opened the box. The symbol of that office lay inside, a heavy ring crested by a wolf’s head with knotwork on either side, eyes set with emerald cabochons. It was worn and scratched—older than Frank had any certainty of.

He hadn’t asked for this responsibility, but it had fallen to him this cycle. In a few years, they would call for a vote to elect the next Mac. It might be Frank again, it might not. There was no telling. He was popular amongst the other packmasters because he was honest and reliable, but having a position of high authority in the world outside of wolves wasn’t a guarantee that you’d become Mac.

He picked up the ring, ran his thumb over the soft glinting gold. Frank sighed. It was time to call a Meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Werewolf politics! Teenage rebellion!


	5. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jamie and Eddie make their moves. Caitlin looks into something she shouldn't.

Jamie was waiting for Renzulli to get out of the bathroom, sipping on his second coffee of the day. But a scent caught his attention. Lemon and sugar. Wolf. Jamie smiled, glancing around.

“Morning, Officer Reagan,” Eddie Janko slipped into sight.

“You can still call me, Jamie.”

“Jamie.” She smiled. “I’ve been hoping to see you again.”

“Me too.” Jamie smiled back. “Don’t suppose you’d like to go get a drink or something?”

“How about a run?” She licked her lips. “Friday? There’s a half-moon.”

Jamie blinked, a little surprised. Not for the invitation to go run, that was normal enough for wolves courting, but it was more of a third or fourth date thing these days. Running together was a rather intimate activity.

But he wasn’t concerned about appearances. The fact was, he’d been missing her. Missing that bright scent and brighter smile. She had an aura of sunny determination he couldn’t ignore.

“Yeah.” Jamie nodded. “I’d like that.”

“Good.” Eddie smiled and took a deep breath. “Meet you at the NYPD Reserve around seven?”

“That’d be great.” Eddie pulled out a card. “Here, my phone number is on the back.”

“Thanks.” Jamie pulled out one of his cards and quickly jotted down his personal cell number. “Here.”

There was a moment of awkward shuffling before Eddie finally shook her head and smiled. “Well, see you on Friday!” She hurried off.

Jamie shook his head.

“What are you smiling about?” Renzulli asked.

“Oh, you know, just a good day.”

“Right.” Renzulli caught a familiar scent. “A good day.” He shook his head. “Try not to pine too much.”

“Pine?”

“Yeah, pine. Let’s go lover boy.”

***

There were three things Caitlin knew with absolute certainty. One, her family name would follow her like, forever. Two, if she was upset, Pops would know and there would magically be a grilled cheese sandwich waiting for her. Three, under no circumstances was it possible for to hide anything from her family for long periods of time.

So the fact that she had hidden something from them…it was starting to make her twitchy. Tony and his drugs—yeah, she hadn’t known he had drugs in the car, but she knew he did do a bit of buying and selling of pharmaceuticals. But the reason she hadn’t let them vet Tony had nothing to do with her personal space.

There were things she knew, things she’d seen, while running with street wolves for those two months. Tony knew things too. Knew how to get things. Knew who was asking for things. Three of the street wolves she’d known had strange rages. Sitting around the Reagan family dinner table, she’d picked up things. Learned about Shade. The poisonings.

And if there was one person she knew that could get something like that, it was Tony.

Still, she didn’t like keeping that kind of a secret. She had, of course, told Tony straight up she’d drop him if the heat came her way. So a bit of the scene between the pair of them had been…well, not _staged_ per se, but definitely not as heated as it seemed.

She waited until she was at school, during lunch, to call Tony. She knew he was finally out on bail.

“You get the information I needed?” she asked, ducking behind a brick wall.

“Yeah. There’s a few people asking for Shade around here. You should be careful, Kitty. These are scary dudes.”

“Yeah.” Caitlin frowned. “Anybody you recognize?”

“Yeah, couple of cops.”

She swallowed. “Text me their names?”

“Okay.”

Best thing about Tony, he didn’t hold a grudge. Caitlin stuck her phone back in her bag. _Cops_. She’d heard things she shouldn’t have. Conversations she shouldn’t have. So she had a sketch of the situation. Some kind of secret society that hated wolves. She knew the poisonings were related to that. She knew her father had been killed partly because of them.

And when she thought about that…an anger she didn’t really understand boiled up inside her. Anger at a man she’d never met. Sonny Malevsky killed her dad. She never got to meet him because of Sonny Malevsky. Grandpa and Pops didn’t want her involved in the trial, so she’d never seen Malevsky in person. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if she did.

But she needed a problem to work, so she’d hit up Tony.

She wasn’t sure how to explain that to Grandpa so she just, didn’t.

The bell rang and Caitlin flinched. She wished they’d tone it down, but it wasn’t like there were all that many wolves here. The New York High School of Art wasn’t generally attractive to wolves. But Caitlin wasn’t a typical wolf. She didn’t think she’d ever be typical at anything. She couldn’t even be a typical Reagan. Everyone else went to Catholic school but—she couldn’t. She couldn’t even go to Mass. Had to stay home with whoever’d decided to be her babysitter for that morning.

Usually it was Jamie. Sometimes Danny. It’d been Jamie who took her out of the one and only Mass she’d tried attending with her family. Jamie who calmed her down. Jamie who had been closest to Joe. He understood her the best.

Because she couldn’t walk into a church without getting a sour taste in her mouth. Couldn’t listen to prayers without all the hair on her arms standing up. So she was the odd one out. The criminal in the family of cops. The unreligious one in a Catholic family. The artist. Even Nicky, for all her outspokenness, was still more like the rest of the family.

Except…there was something that _did_ make her like the rest of them. More than fang and fur. It was this need. Desire to find the truth. To protect. She sighed and began the walk to her classroom. She needed to talk to someone about this.

She needed to talk to Jamie.

***

Jamie was a little surprised to get a call from Caitlin, asking him to stop by the house. She usually didn’t ask to talk. She’d talk, but initiating a conversation was hard for her.

“Caitie?” Jamie called as he walked in, setting his duffel bag down as he walked into the house. “Pops?”

“Jamie,” Henry smiled. “Didn’t know you were stopping by.”

“Caitie asked me to. Where is she?”

“Uncle Jamie,” Caitlin emerged from the sunroom.

“Caitlin, what’s going on?” Henry asked.

“I just need to talk to Uncle Jamie, Pops.” She licked her lips. “Upstairs?” Caitlin looked at Jamie.

“Sure.” He glanced at Henry and nodded at the stairs. “Lead the way, kid.”

Caitlin headed up the stairs, ducking into her bedroom. It used to be Erin’s. Jamie remembered what it had looked like as Erin’s room. The posters his sister used to have up. The pale pink walls. Now the walls were green and instead of posters there were sketches taped up. Wolves at play. Street life of the city. A few had touches of color, but most were just pencil.

Jamie had to admit his niece did good work. She had an eye.

He crossed his arms over his chest, watching her pace a bit for plopping down on the edge of her bed. “So I might have lied to Grandpa about something.”

Jamie blinked. “What did you lie about?”

“Why I was with Tony.” She swallowed, looking down at her hands, folded in her lap. “I didn’t know he had drugs in the car but…I did know he sometimes sells drugs.”

“Caitlin—”

“Just let me finish.” She looked up, meeting his gaze. “I met with him because I wanted to know if he knew anything about Shade.” She swallowed. “When I was on the streets, after I shifted, I was running with some other kids. Wolves. A few of ‘em went crazy. Got angry. Hurt some people. Nobody knew why, and nobody seemed to care. After I heard about the Shade poisonings I realized that…that they could’ve been victims too.”

Jamie blinked. “How many is a few?”

“Five.” Caitlin sighed. “So I called Tony. He knows stuff. He gave me some names today. People that bought Shade, or were looking for it in his network. They’re cops.” She pulled a slip of paper from her pocket and held it out.

Jamie took it. “So you’ve been investigating this.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you come to one of us about this? We would’ve helped. _And_ we would’ve kept you from reaching out to your criminal contacts.” He gave her a sharp look. “You know that’s not acceptable, Caitlin.”

“Do you—do you know why I informed on Eddie? The guy who set the fire?”

“No.”

“Because my best friend died in that fire. Because I tried to get to her and I couldn’t.” Her voice cracked. “So I got justice instead. I just wanted to be able to help, with this.”

“As admirable as that is, you’re a kid, Caitie. You shouldn’t be looking into this stuff. It’s dangerous.”

“I know that. It’s not like I’ve never been in danger, Jamie. It’s not like I’ve never seen a dead body. It’s not like I’m some sheltered kid. At least I can do something with this. I can get information. I can…be useful.”

“Where’s this coming from? There’s nothing wrong with being a kid now. We want you to have that.” Jamie frowned and squatted down in front of her. “Sweetheart, what’s going on?”

“The trial’s coming up.”

Jamie felt a click of understanding. “Yeah it is.”

“I didn’t think…I didn’t think it would matter so much.” She blinked, eyes shiny with unshed tears. “I never even got to meet my dad. And it makes me so angry. And I don’t know where to put that.”

“So you went looking for something else?” Jamie took her hand.

“Yeah.” Caitlin nodded quickly, curls flying. “I just had to _do_ something.”

 _God. She is such a Reagan._ Jamie took a deep breath. “Okay.” He stood, sitting next to her on the bed and putting an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay.”

Caitlin leaned toward him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I want that guy dead for what he did. I want to rip out his throat. But I can’t.”

“I know.” He rubbed her arm. “Sweetheart, I know.” Jamie closed his eyes for a moment. “I want the same thing.”

“How do you deal with this?”

“Throw myself into work.” Jamie smiled. Like what she was trying to do. “Maybe it’s time you start going to therapy again.” They’d tried one therapist, but it hadn’t been a good fit.

“Would you?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I would.” He turned a bit, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I’ll give the names to Grandpa, but you need to talk to him about this.”

Caitlin nodded.

“You want me there for support?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Jamie tightened his hug a bit. “Whatever you need, okay? I’m here for you.”

“Okay.”

***

Frank listened, quiet, as his granddaughter laid out the whole story, Jamie sitting right next to her. When she finished, she couldn’t even look at him.

“The names?” Frank asked.

Jamie handed over the paper.

Frank read it. Two names that weren’t on Baker’s list. _Great_. He took a breath and tucked the paper into his pocket.

“I understand why you didn’t tell me the truth.” He turned his full attention on her. “I want you to promise me you will stay out of this from this point forward.”

Caitlin took a breath before nodding. “I promise.”

“Good. And I agree with Jamie about therapy. We’ll start looking for someone better suited to your needs. I know—I know you’re still figuring this out. How to be part of the family. But I don’t want you to think you have to hide things from me.”

“I know.”

“I also need you to understand that putting yourself in danger is unacceptable.”

Jamie only all too well understood that tone. “Dad, she does.”

“Do you?” Frank leaned forward. “Do you understand that I would do absolutely anything to keep you safe? And that includes protecting you from yourself.”

“Yes. I understand.”

“Well, just to drive the point home, you’ll be coming to my office after school every day while your grounded. One of my detail will pick you up, and I will be dropping you off at school in the mornings.”

“Yes, sir.” Caitlin looked resigned.

“Jamie, could you sign Caitlin up for the weekend self-defense course over at the community center?”

Jamie nodded.

“Good. That’ll give you someplace to work out some of this excess energy.” Frank gave her a speculative look. Laying on consequences would at least make her think. “I’m going to put a call in to the office. Jamie, why don’t you figure out what’s for dinner? I assume you’ll stay.”

“Sure thing.” Jamie nodded.

Frank nodded back and headed up to his office to call Baker.

***

Every packmaster in New York City gathered, quietly, in a secret location in Brooklyn. Some of their lieutenants were present as well. Frank had Baker and Danny with him. The packmasters were a diverse group. From every borough and walk of life. Bodega owners, a few heads of criminal enterprise, police offices, firemen, corporate heads and even a priest. While the modern structure of wolf hierarchy was based on the Irish wolves, the first wolves not of America to settle in New York, they were not the only wolves.

Baker called the Meet to order and the packmasters settled.

“Some of you may have already heard about the Shade poisonings,” Frank began. “We now believe there is an active cell of the Silver Order here in New York. Their operatives have been linked to the poisonings.”

Murmurs rose up quickly.

“We have discovered the names of _some_ of the Order members. Special Investigations will continue their investigations. But we need to move forward with a greater sense of caution. We’ll be passing out Shade test strips. We know that there have been less than a dozen poisonings, but there is no telling what may be the endgame here.

“We need to keep all of this above board. These men will go to trial and we will have justice there. Am I understood?”  

Slowly, each packmaster affirmed their understanding.

“Good. Baker will now take you through the case as it currently stands. Please hold questions until the end.”

***

Edit “Eddie” Janko waited outside the NYPD reserve with a picnic basket on the hood of her car. She saw Jamie pull in and smiled. His familiar scent wafting toward her.

“ _Nice_ car,” Jamie said, eying her little silver convertible. “Didn’t realize case workers made good money.”

“A graduation present from my father.” She shrugged. “I brought food.”

Jamie eyed the enormous picnic basket and grinned. “You bring enough to feed an army?”

“Wolves’ metabolism, man.” She picked up the basket. “Come on, we can talk, eat and then run.”

“Sure. Can I carry that for you?” Jamie held out his hand.

“Well, if you’re going to be gentleman, who am I to stop you?” She handed it over.

Jamie was a little surprised by the heft, but it still wasn’t a great burden. They headed into the reserve picnic area, just off the parking lot and settled at a table. It wasn’t too busy this time of the month.

“So,” Eddie opened the basket and started unpacking it. “Something I ought to tell you.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m not exactly _just_ a case worker.” She tilted her head, setting a container of pasta salad on the table. “I work with Special Investigations.”

Jamie raised his eyebrows. “So you’re a spook.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I just investigate non-armed government entities for anti-wolf bias. That’s why I was with CPS.”

“Okay.” Jamie smiled. “I get it, you were doing your job. Not like you could tell me.” He laid out the napkins. “Have to say—you are suddenly just a bit sexier.”

Eddie grinned. “Oh, am I?”

“Definitely.”

“Just wait until you try my pot roast,” Eddie said. “Well, it’s not _mine_ , I got it from this restaurant downtown, but I know where to get it again.”

“Oh, well, that sounds like a bribe.”

“I’m willing to resort to bribery.” She pulled out the pot roast and opened the container.

Jamie had to admit, it smelled _really_ good. “Okay, I admit I could probably be bribed with pot roast.”

“Good to know.”

***

After they ate, there was a lull while they let the food settle before shifting. Eddie had already seen Jamie’s wolf. Eddie’s reminded him a bit of Linda’s, small and pale gold. But Eddy was more muscular and a touch shorter.

They ran together, weaving away and toward each other. Eddie would nip at his heels and Jamie would retaliate by tugging on her tail. They played a bit of tag and then settled into a mock-fight over a small hill. Finally though, a bit worn out, they settled next to the reserve’s pond. Jamie crept closer to her, licking her ear.

She huffed, but shifted closer, resting her head on his legs. Jamie took a contented breath and propped his snout over her head. It felt so…right. Like a little piece of him he’d been missing his whole life was there now. She fit with him, fit in the space next to his curved body perfectly. She played and ran with such joy.

He didn’t usually believe in things like soul mates, though he seen the evidence of pairings like that. Seen the bond between his parents. Seen the bond between Danny and Linda. He knew it was possible just…not for him. But now there was Eddie.

A few hours later, Eddie stretched, eyeing the pond. She shifted, bare skin catching the moonlight. “Let’s go for a swim.”

Jamie nodded, slipping back into his own human form and padding toward the pond. “It’s gonna be a bit cold.”

“That’s okay.” Eddie smiled and beckoned him closer to give him a kiss. “We can warm up after.”

Jamie certainly liked the sound of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, the Shade poisonings hit closer to home.


	6. Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The case gets hotter. 
> 
> Caitlin and Nicky get in over their heads.

Sunday dinner rolled around and Jamie was still in a good mood. He was practically whistling as he helped Caitlin and Nicky set the table.

“You’re awfully happy, Uncle Jamie,” Nicky remarked with a smile. “Something good happen?”

“He had a date,” Caitlin stage-whispered.

“Ooh.” Nicky gave Jamie a wide-eyed look. “With who?”

“I’m guessing here,” Caitlin said, “but I’m pretty sure it was with Eddie Janko.  My old case worker.”

“The pretty blonde wolf?”

“Yup.”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “It’s not a big deal. It was one date.”

“ _Right_ ,” Nicky grinned.

“Are you kids harassing your uncle?” Erin asked, carrying in the salad.

“Only a little, Mom.” Nicky set the last place. “It has been _ages_ since he had a girlfriend.”

“Ages? Really?” Jamie shook his head. “I’ll get the wine. I think we’ll need it.”

Erin smiled. “Eddie seems like a really nice girl, Jamie.”

Jamie threw up his hands and headed into the kitchen.

“Jamie had a date?” Danny asked, herding his sons into the dining room. “Tell me it was with that cute case worker. She definitely had a thing.”

“Yup,” Caitlin replied.

“Nice.” Danny smiled. “About time.”

“I heard that,” Jamie said, returning to the dining room with the wine. Linda followed with the plate of fried chicken, followed by Frank and Henry with other side dishes.

“What?” It is.” Danny glanced at his brother and sat down. “You need to be getting out there. Where’d you go? Drinks? Dinner?”

“We had a picnic.” Jamie sat down. “And a run.” The tips of his ears went just a little red.

Danny’s eyebrows went up. “Whose idea was that?”

“Hers.”

“Leave your brother alone,” Frank said. He waited for everyone to get settled. “Now, who wants to say grace?”

Underneath the table, Jamie took Caitlin’s hand and squeezed gently.

“I got it,” Nicky said. She made it short and sweet. Frank smiled at her gratefully.

“So,” Henry said. “Anyone have news?”

“Jamie had a _date_ ,” Erin said.

“I heard.” Henry smiled. “Heard it was that feisty blonde from CPS.”

Jamie sighed.

***

The crime scene was well secured when Danny and Jackie arrived. He headed toward the bodies on the ground, feeling a bit of dread in the pit of stomach.

“What the hell happened here?” Danny turned to the uniforms who’d been first on the scene.

“Field test was positive for Shade.”

One cop was dead on the ground, clothes torn as if he’d begun to shift before he’d been killed. His partner was in the back of an ambulance, bloody and crying. Not that Danny could blame him. A bystander was also dead, throat torn out. The second bystander was in the back of the other ambulance with a pair of uniformed officers standing nearby. Danny headed there.

“Ma’am, can you tell me what happened?”

“The cop went crazy,” she said. “He attacked his partner. Attacked that guy. I didn’t know what to do—I carry a gun, for protection you know. Pulled it out. His partner had his gun on him, but he was frozen. Cop lunged for me and…I shot him.” She swallowed. “God, I didn’t want to kill him. I just…I just wanted him to stop.”

Danny closed his eyes a moment, nodding. “Of course. We’ll need your official statement. Do you have a permit for the gun?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Danny glanced at Jackie, still talking to the other uniformed officers. This was their worst nightmare right here. He pulled out his phone, and called his dad.

***

Caitlin arrived at 1 PP after class to find everyone in a mood.

“Detective Baker, did something happen?” she asked.

“A police officer, a wolf, was shot today. He’d been poisoned with Shade, killed a bystander and attacked his partner.” Baker shook her head. “It’s a complete tragedy.”

“Damn.”

“Language,” Frank rebuked, more out of habit than feeling in that moment. “Caitlin, go ahead and settle in my office. Do your homework, I have a meeting to get to. Let Baker know if you need anything.”

“Okay, Grandpa.” Caitlin frowned, watching him head out. “He’s not okay.”

“It’s hard, when it’s a cop.” Baker gently herded Caitlin into the office. “And the Shade poisonings are hitting all the wolves hard.”

Caitlin nodded. “Yeah. I get that.” She set her bag down on the coffee table in front of the couch. “I wish I could help.”

Baker smiled. “That’s admirable, though I’m quite sure your grandfather would prefer you stuck to school and other normal teenage activities.”

“I know you’re right.” Caitlin flopped down onto the couch.

“You want anything?”

“No, thank you.”

Baker nodded and slipped out of the office.

Caitlin frowned. There had to be something she could do without putting herself in any danger. She pulled out her phone. She’d promised not to associate with criminals, sure, but was a single phone call associating?

“Hell with it,” she muttered, and placed the call.

***

There were empty chairs in Frank’s meeting. They couldn’t take any risks, and as much as he hated it, that meant excluding any non-wolves until he could be absolutely certain he trusted them. Lt. Bello had struck him completely by surprise. He couldn’t afford that happening again.

“We retraced Officer Brooks’ steps,” Chief O’Connor said. “It looks like he was poisoned at his precinct.”

Frank shook his head. “We know who it was?”

“Pretty sure it was Detective Thompson, his name is already on the list of known Order members.”

“I haven’t wanted to move on the ones we have,” Frank began, “as I didn’t want the rest of them to run for cover. But I’m not sure if that strategy should continue.”

Baker slipped into the meeting.

“Special Investigations is working around the clock to find the rest of these bastards. Baker, are we any closer to sorting out whose running them?”

“A bit, sir. We’ve been questioning the Order members we grabbed while arresting Templars. While they haven’t all been cooperative, we have gotten some information.”

“Good.” Frank sighed. “We need to end this, quickly. Before another one of my men is dead.”

***

Garrett walked into Frank’s office, expecting to find the PC, and instead stumbling across his eldest granddaughter. “Miss Reagan, I forgot you were coming in.”

She snapped her phone shut, shoving it into her a pocket with a speed that was totally not suspicious. “DCPI Moore. Grandpa’s still in a meeting.”

“Ah.” His eyes narrowed. “You know, you can call me Garrett.”

“Oh, well, you can call me Caitlin.” She grabbed one of her textbooks. “I’m just doing my homework.” There might have been a rule about not lying to family, but lying to her grandfather’s staff was totally in a grey area.

“Uh huh.” Garrett was never quite sure how to take Caitlin. He could handle Nicky, for the most part. Jamie and Danny were usually pretty easy too. He’d never had much contact with the grandsons to know what they were like, but Caitlin was…well, she was half-scandal as it was without dipping her toes into things she shouldn’t.

“Well, I should get back to work.”

“Right.” Garrett nodded. “You just let Baker know if you need anything.”

“Of course.”

Garrett exited Frank’s office, brow furrowed. He couldn’t be _certain_ that Caitlin was up to something, but his gut was saying she was. And if he’d learned anything from his years in journalism, his instincts were usually right.

Now he just had to decide whether or not Frank needed to know.

This job was so much harder than it had to be.

***

“Hey, Pops,” Nicky said, dropping her backpack off in the foyer and heading back toward the kitchen.

“Hey, Nicky. Your mom drop you off?”

“Yeah, but she had to run. Didn’t want to be late for her _date_.” Nicky smiled. “Where’s Caitie?”

“She’ll be here soonish, Frank’s giving her a reprieve from sitting in his office to hang out with you.”

“That’s nice of him.” Nicky got herself a glass of juice. “Ugh, I’m hungry again. I feel like all I do anymore is eat.”

“Your body is getting ready to change, kiddo. That appetite never goes away either, you just have to get used to it.”

“I guess.”

“I’ll make some sandwiches, I know Caitie will be hungry too.” Henry started getting ingredients out of the fridge, putting together some meatloaf sandwiches and cutting up some fruit too, because pups needed vitamins. “Go ahead and set up in the dining room with your homework.”

“Yes, Pops.” Nicky smiled and headed back for her bookbag.

As expected, Caitlin arrived a few minutes later. “I smell food.”

Henry laughed. “I made sandwiches. Nicky’s in the dining room doing homework, you go ahead and join her.”

“Okay.” Caitlin’s whole demeanor brightened and she hurried into the dining room. “Hey, Nicky.”

“Hey! Don’t suppose you’d be willing to help me with history homework.”

“I can try.” Caitlin set her bag down and pulled out her own work. “I’ve just got some sketches and a math worksheet.”

“You know, art school seems pretty cool, but I don’t think it’d be the thing for me.”

Caitlin shrugged. “It’s kind of weird sometimes, but I like it. We’re drawing skeletons right now in life-drawing, it’s making my sketchbook look kind of morbid.”

Nicky laughed. “Yeah, I could see that.”

“I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with being goth, but it’s not really my scene.”

“More homework, less chatting,” Henry said, setting a fresh plate of sandwiches down.

“Yes, Pops.”

Caitlin watched him leave, listening carefully as he turned on the TV in the sunroom and subsequently fell asleep watching the news. She turned her attention back to Nicky.

“So…you hear about what happened yesterday?”

“The cop? Yeah. It’s totally insane. They’ve got to catch these guys.”

“Yeah.” Caitlin leaned in. “What if I told you I’ve got a lead on that?”

“What?” Nicky raised her eyebrows. “You tell Grandpa?”

“Not yet.” She took a breath. “It’s not confirmed yet, but I think I can confirm it. You know? I just have to go check something out.”

“Okay. And how are you going to do that? You are on total lockdown.”

“I know. So maybe you can help me out. I’m not asking you to go with or lie. I just need a little time.”

“You’re gonna do this if I help or not, I take it?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then I’m going with you.” Nicky’s look was pure Reagan stubbornness.

“Nicky—”

“You take me or I’ll tell Grandpa.”

Caitlin sighed. “Fine. But how are we gonna _both_ get out of here?”

“Oh, I got a plan. First though, we eat.”

“I’m not going to argue with that.”

***

Nicky was, as it turned out, the master of sneaking out of the Reagan house. With a little chicanery, a recording of them talking about homework, and subway passes, they were into the city before anyone was the wiser.

Nicky, because she didn’t want her cousin heading out alone and Caitlin because her self-preservation instincts were outweighed by what could most kindly be called a desire for justice. Bloodlust was probably closer to the truth. Caitlin found she could justify nearly anything if it got her closer to a bad guy.

“So, storage facility. Creepy.” Nicky looked around. “Super creepy.”

“We’re looking for 12G.” Caitlin walked forward, confident and quiet. She’d broken out her sneaking clothes for this. Soft soled boots, thin gloves and a black hoodie.”

“Where’d you learn to be all…sneaky?”

“I was a pickpocket.” Caitlin glanced at her. “Sneaky is the name of the game.” They headed up the next set of stairs and Caitlin headed down a likely looking hall. “There it is.” She pointed at the storage locker.

“And how are we getting in? Do you have a key?”

“Don’t need one.” Caitlin pulled her lockpicks from her jacket pocket.

“Learn to pick locks while you were learning pickpocketing?” Nicky asked.

“Yup. Guy named Thumper taught me. No, I don’t know his real name.”

“You have quite the colorful history.”

Caitlin smiled and knelt down to crack the lock. It wasn’t difficult really. “Got it.” She jerked on the handle and rolled the metal door up. She grabbed the chain and tugged, turning on the light. The whole place was full of boxes. Caitlin padded inside and opened a box, but she caught the herbal scent even before she opened it.

“Shade.”

“All of it?” Nicky asked.

“Yeah.” Caitlin swallowed. “Okay, now we call Uncle Danny.” She turned toward her cousin, and the color drained from her face.

“Caitie?”

The sharp sound of a gun cocking echoed through the storage facility.

“Well now, what do we have here?” The man stepped forward, gun in hand. “A little wolf. Or is it two?”

Nicky turned toward him and backed away, moving closer to Caitlin.

Another man moved out of the shadows. “Even if it’s just the one, this one can’t walk away either.”

Caitlin took a deep breath, taking note of Nicky’s hand—and the phone in it. The screen lit up a moment, but it was facing away from the goons. She was calling Danny. Caitlin wasn’t sure there’d be time for him to get here.

“This’ll be easy,” Goon One said. “We’ll give the little bitch Shade. Lock her in with the other one. She’ll kill her, and then we’ll shoot her. Clear cut self-defense. Putting down a mutt that went wrong.”

Nicky took another step back. “You won’t get away with this.”

“Oh, and why not?”

Caitlin took Nicky’s arm and shoved the other girl behind her with a growl. “You can shoot me if you want, but if you lay a hand on her I swear you’ll regret it.”

“Caitie!” All Nicky could see was the tension in her cousin’s shoulders—and the telltale lengthening of her fingernails that preluded the shift, slicing right through the fingers of her gloves.

Caitlin was counting on her wolf to get her and Nicky through this. She couldn’t think of anything else. A scent other than the goons and the shade caught her attention, but she kept her expression locked in an angry snarl.

“Put the guns down!” Danny came out of nowhere, his partner Jackie right behind him. “Drop the guns and get on your knees.”

Goon Two reached out and grabbed Caitlin by the elbow, pulling her toward him.

Danny looked her in the eyes and then toward Goon Two.

“You back the fuck off right now!” Goon Two shouted. “Or I put a bullet in the bitch’s brain.”

“Just let the kid go,” Danny said. “This doesn’t have to go bad. Let her go and put the gun down.”

“Oh, hell no. I don’t take orders from _mutts_.”

“Let the girl go and put the gun down, right now.”

“Back off and let us through,” Goon One said.

“Please,” Danny started, glancing at Nicky and then back to Caitlin. “Please don’t hurt my family.”

“These bitches are your—”

Caitlin scratched the man on the arm, freeing herself and dropping the ground in the same instant Nicky hit the floor. Caitlin threw her hands over her ears a second before the shots were fired. The smell of blood hit her nose a second later and there was a thud as the first body hit the floor. Caitlin scrambled away, heading back to Nicky.

“Are you okay?”

Nick sat up and nodded. “I’m okay.”

Danny rushed over after getting his cuffs on one of the goons. “You two okay?”

“Yes,” came the echoed response.

“What in the hell were you two doing here? You are supposed to be at home, doing homework, safe and sound.” He looked around them. “Is this—Shade?”

“Yeah,” Caitlin said. “This was my fault, Uncle Danny. Totally my fault.” She helped Nicky stand.

Danny noted the claws poking out of her gloves. “First things first, before I yell at you, you need to take a few breaths and let go of the shift.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “Can you do that, Caitie?”

She nodded and breathed, pulling the wolf back until the claws receded.

“Good, that’s good.” Danny exhaled. “Now, you explain to me what you were doing here.”

“I got a lead from a friend about a shipment of Shade. But he wasn’t sure, so I thought I’d confirm it before I brought it to you.”

“This friend named Tony?”

“No.” This friend was called Mona, Tony’s sister.

“Are you lying to me?”

Caitlin shook her head. “No, I swear, it wasn’t Tony.”

“So you decided to come down to a storage facility in the Bronx, by yourselves, to see if it was full of illegal poison?”

“You make it sound so much worse than it is,” Caitlin protested.

“Oh, trust me, it is so much worse, young lady.” He beckoned Nicky forward. “Jackie, take my nieces down the car.”

“You got it.” Jackie raised her eyebrows at them and beckoned. “Come on girls.”

Caitlin was quite certain they were dead, but if she had to, she’d throw herself in the line of fire to protect Nicky. It wasn’t _her_ fault.

***

Danny wiped a hand over his head and sighed. By the time Jackie had returned there were uniformed officers swarming and crime scene techs on their way.

“We know who these guys are?” she asked.

“Yeah. Say hello to Detective Chris Hooper and Sergeant Phillip Donaldson. Cops.” Danny shook his head.

“Jesus.” Jackie shook her head. “There’s enough Shade in that storage room to send every wolf in New York City into a rage.”

“Yeah, and I’d really like to know how my sixteen-year-old niece got the address.”

“She’s a former pickpocket with an extensive criminal network.” Jackie gave him a look. “You know that.”

“It’s just a bit hard to square.” Danny sighed. “I already called the PC. It’s going to be Special Investigations mess to handle.”

“Shocking. Come on, we need to file our shooting reports.”

“Yeah.” Danny nodded. “Okay.”

“I know Caitie has a history, but this is the third time she’s crossed the line,” Jackie spoke softly, moving her partner away from everyone else. “You know she might be pushing because her wolf doesn’t think she’s getting the right reaction from the pack.”

Danny took a moment. “The thought had crossed my mind.”

“You’ve been around enough to know she’ll keep on pushing.”

“Yeah.” Yeah, he knew.

No Reagan was anything if not complicated.

***

In the car, Caitlin looked Nicky over herself. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” Nicky nodded. “I’m okay. Are you okay?”

Caitlin nodded. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I told Grandpa I understood he was trying to protect me. I promised to stay out of this.” She bit her lip. “What the hell is wrong with me?” She tugged on a chunk of hair. “Seriously, there is something just plain _wrong_ with me.”

“We’re all a little messed up, Caitie,” Nicky replied.

“Would you have come here if I wasn’t here?”

“Probably not.”

“See?” Caitlin shook her head. “Sometimes I think it would’ve been better for everyone if I’d never run into Jamie. Better if I was still on the streets.”

“Don’t say that,” Nicky said. “Yeah, this was terrifying, but you’re family.”

Danny leaned on the car. “You ought to listen to your cousin on this one, Caitie. I don’t want to hear you say that sort of thing again, hear me?”

Caitlin nodded.

“Good. Now, I’m driving you two back home. Nicky, your mom is already waiting for you.”

“I—how did you find us so fast?” Nicky asked. “I called you like, thirty seconds before you got there.”

“We put a tracking app on both of your phones.” Danny shrugged, not at all apologetic. “So when Pops called to tell me you’d vanished, I activated it.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, is right.” Danny shook his head. “All right, buckle up. I might drive a bit faster than the speed limit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will the mastermind of the Order finally be revealed? Can Frank keep his granddaughters out of it? How will Jamie's second date with Eddie go? Are things heating up for Erin and Cliff? 
> 
> Find out next time!


	7. Investigations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things in the investigation heat up. 
> 
> *discussion of discipline

“You made me a promise, Caitlin Josephine.” Frank stared down at his granddaughter. “And you broke it.”

“Yes, sir.” She couldn’t look up from the floor. Caitlin wasn’t totally used to identifying what feelings were coming from her wolf and which were all human, but the cringing, abject guilt she felt now? She was pretty sure that was both. But what had been driving her these past few weeks hadn’t _just_ been her wolf. She knew that was part of it, but not all of it. She didn’t know why that urge kept taking over. Why she kept diving headlong into this case in spite of being told not to.

Except her wolf was there, in the back of her mind, pacing and whining. Pushing. Nudging. Throwing her over the edge if she got too close. And she didn’t know why.

“Look at me, Caitlin.”

She swallowed and looked up. Frank didn’t miss the way her eyes shifted. Gold over blue and back again. Danny had mentioned she’d started to shift on the scene. It could be she was still edgy, but he didn’t think so.

“What were you thinking? You could’ve gotten yourself—and Nicky—killed. Do you understand that?”

“I’d have put me between them and Nicky,” Caitlin replied. “Died before I let them touch her.”

Frank didn’t doubt that. “Are you suicidal?”

“No.” She shook her head vehemently. “No. I just—she’s more—”

“The words, _more important than me_ , better not come out of your mouth.”

“No, sir.” Caitlin took a breath.

“You are not disposable, Caitlin.”

“She’s more fragile than I am,” Caitlin said finally. “If I take a bullet, my chances of survival are a lot higher. Protecting her is my responsibility. I shouldn’t have let her come with me. I put her in danger and I’m sorry.”

What Caitlin couldn’t have known, in that moment, that it was all wolf talking there. Responsibility. Protection. It was the wolf trying to sort out her place in the pack. All of this, Frank realized, was Caitlin trying to find her place in the pack. Her use. It was normal enough for young wolves. Normal for them to look for a place that they could contribute something. Caitlin was lost…and he’d let her stay that way.

“I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to know that there’s no wrong answer.” Frank sat down across from her. “Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Frank looked her in the eyes, projecting not just his usual Police Commissioner aura, but _packmaster_. “Does your wolf feel as though she’s paid for your misdeeds?”

While there wasn’t _really_ a divide between human and wolf, most wolves had found it simpler, over the years, to describe those parts of themselves with one label or the other. It wasn’t a separate persona. It was as much a part of a wolf as their eye color. But when you needed to explain that something was a primal urge, saying it was the wolf was just easier to explain. Caitlin considered what he’d said. While _she_ had been chastened by being grounded and supervised like a toddler with a habit for climbing tall things and falling off them, her wolf had just…shaken it off.

The deeper part of her had been angry. Not humbled. Not ashamed. Angry. Because a wolf expected discipline, but all she’d gotten was…

“No.” Caitlin frowned. “I—we’re angry. I don’t understand why.”

“Do you know how I usually deal with pack discipline?”

Caitlin flushed and nodded.

“There is a reason I’ve never spanked you.”

“You’re afraid.” She licked her lips. “Afraid it will bring back memories. Afraid you’ll hurt me.”

“Yes.” Frank sighed. “But I’m starting to wonder if that’s a mistake. If your wolf feels…abandoned. Like the packmaster is ignoring her.”

As much as Caitlin didn’t want that to be true…it had a ring of truth to it.

“You crossed one line, with Tony that first time. Then crossed the line again. And then again. You escalated. To get my attention.”

“I—I think that might be true.”

Frank nodded. “You know I would never hurt you.”

“Yes.”

“Which leads me to my next question. Physical discipline takes different forms. You could run laps. Do pushups. It’s about giving that part of you the sense that they’ve paid for the wrong—and that you’ve been forgiven. Your wolf needs to know that.” He leaned forward. “For a lot of wolves, it just easier for them to take a spanking. Get it done and over with. They feel chastised and they can forgive themselves for doing something that upset their packmaster.” His head tilted. “So, what do you want to do here, Caitie?”

“I…I just want to stop feeling like this.” She swallowed. “Like this anger and guilt is going to eat me alive. I want it to stop. But—I can’t tell you what’s going to work. What’s gonna make this go away. I don’t know. I can’t tell you that I won’t flash back to that monster…all I can say is I’m spiraling and I need—I need you.”

Frank swallowed the lump in his throat. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” That was one thing she was certain of. One thing she was always certain of.

“All right.” Frank stood and walked around the coffee table taking a seat next to her on the couch. “If you say stop, at any point, we’re done. All right? We’ll find another way to do this.”

“Okay.”

Gently, aware of every little twitch Caitlin made, Frank pulled her over his lap. He knew that look, he’d seen it on Jamie’s face. On Danny’s face. That desperation to be forgiven. That need for it to be over and done with. He wanted it to be over too.

He wanted all of it, to be over.

***

“How’s Caitie?” Danny asked. “You talk to her?”

“She’s okay now,” Frank replied. “Sleeping. How did I miss it? How did I miss, that she was feeling so lost?”

“She’s good at hiding it. Like a lot of people in this family.” Danny shook his head. “You should have seen her at that storage locker, Dad. She threw herself in front of Nicky without thinking about it. She clawed that guy. She had control over a partial shift. She was prepared to take that guy down.”

“She told me she would put herself in front of a bullet. Because she wasn’t fragile.” Frank shook his head. “I don’t think she’s going to end up out of the line of fire.”

“No.” Danny shook his head. “If her instincts are telling her to be a shield…that’s what she’ll be.”

“Don’t tell Jamie that,” Frank said. “He still thinks he can get her to go art school.”

“Yeah, well, Jamie has a soft spot when it comes to Caitie.”

“We all do. Nicky too. Hard not to.” Frank sighed. “Caitie give you any information about that storage locker?”

“She did. And we’ve got a lead on a big fish.”

“How big a fish?” Frank raised his eyebrows.

“Captain Richard Leary. The storage locker traced back to him. And the two cops we shot? We found Order pins in their places.”

“Captain Leary…” Frank shook his head. “You think he’s the head of the snake?”

“I think he’s more likely a lieutenant. This whole business would take more juice than Captain Leary’s got. My gut is telling me it’s someone big.”

“Mine too.” Frank sighed. “You want a drink?”

“Yeah. That’d be great.”

***

Jamie stopped by the house later that evening to check in on Caitlin. He’d already checked on Nicky and Erin.

“Jamie.” Henry eyed his grandson. “Counting the pups?”

“Maybe.” Jamie shrugged. “Instinct, you know?”

“I know. Caitie’s asleep.”

“Figured.”

“I hear you talked some guy down off a ledge today,” Henry remarked. “Nice work.”

Jamie shrugged. “You just have to listen, you know? People like it when you listen.”

“They do.” Henry clapped him on the shoulder. “Go on, check on your niece.”

Jamie nodded and headed up the stairs. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but at some point in the last year he’d gotten…more protective. He had to _know_ that his pack was safe. Had to count the pups, as Henry had said. There was something unsettled in him, if he tried to sleep without checking in with everyone. It’d become a habit.

A habit, he noted, that now seemed to include Eddie. But he was going to see her tonight. It was a little late, but he’d gotten off late. She didn’t seem to mind all that much.

Jamie peered into Caitlin’s room. She was asleep and looked pretty peaceful considering how her day had gone. He knew that peace. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he slipped back into the hall. It was text from Eddie. He smiled at the weird meme. She sent him the weirdest shit.

“Hey, Jamie.”

“Caitie, I thought you were asleep.”

She shrugged. “I sleep light. You’ve got a date tonight.”

“I do.”

“You hear about today?”

“I did.” He raised his eyebrows. “I think you’ve beat the Reagan record for trouble while teenaged.”

Caitlin snorted. “Ha.”

“Go back to bed, kid.” Jamie stepped forward and gave her a hug. “I’ll see you on Sunday.”

“See you on Sunday.”

Jamie smiled and headed back downstairs, saying goodbye to Pops and heading out to pick up Eddie. She was waiting for him just outside her apartment building, hair down, wearing a black lace dress.

“Hey, there,” she hurried over as Jamie opened the passenger door. “You look nice.”

“You look—fantastic. Ready for dinner?”

“Oh, you know me, I can always eat.”

Jamie smiled. “This place does a really good steak _and_ there’s a great ice cream place nearby. Wolf-run, so it’s open late.”

“Ooh.” She slid into the car, closing the door behind her. “Are you bribing me, Jamie?”

“Oh no.” He shook his head. “Bribing you would be telling you that same ice cream place makes homemade brownies on site. For brownie sundaes. With fudge. And marshmallow sauce.”

Eddie grinned. “You certainly know the way to a girl’s heart.”

“I truly hope so.”

***

 “Mmm. You smell good.” Jamie buried his face in Eddie’s hair, pulling her closer. “How do you smell so good?”

“Regular bathing.” She smiled. “You have nice sheets. Kind of surprising. Cop, tight salary—but Egyptian cotton sheets.”

“What can I say?” he ran his fingers over her shoulder. “I like to pamper myself sometimes.”

“Good to know.” She took a breath and rolled over to face him, flashing a bright smile. “That was amazing.”

“The ice cream or the sex?”

“Both.” She leaned toward him, pressing her lips to his. “You feel that?”

“Yeah.” Jamie nodded, eyes soft. “I feel that.”

“Didn’t…didn’t think this sort of thing was real. You know?” She put a hand over his heart. “I feel you, right here.”

“Me too.” He put his hand over hers and stole a kiss. “My family is going to flip.”

Eddie smiled. “I bet.”

“I just want to keep you to myself. For a little while, you know?”

“I know. But I’ve got another undercover assignment coming up. I have to be out of touch for a bit. So celebrating might have to wait.” She licked her lips. “

“That’s all right. They can wait. You’ll—you’ll be safe? Right?”

“I’m always safe,” she promised. “Don’t worry. It’s just a little stint in the Brooklyn DA’s office. I’ll be safe as houses.”

“Okay.” He smiled. “Well, if this is going to be our last hurrah until you finish your assignment…” He ran a hand down her side, cupping her ass. “Why don’t I send you off in style?”

Eddie grinned. “All right cowboy, let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Challenge, accepted.” He let out a little growl and pounced.

***

“Mom?” Nicky called, heading down the hall toward her mother’s room. “I’m gonna be late for school—oh my god.” Nicky clapped her hands over her eyes. “I saw nothing and I’ll take the subway. Totally fine.”

Erin rushed after her daughter. “No, no, I’ve got you.” She finished buttoning her blouse, shooting Cliff a look. “Definitely.”

Nicky shook her head. “Half-naked men in your room? Really, Mom?”

“You’ve met Cliff, he’s not like a stranger.” Erin grabbed her suit jacket and keys. “Cliff, I’ve got to take Nicky to school. You’ll lock up?”

“Of course. Call you later!”

“He’ll lock up?” Nicky eyed her mother, who swiftly herded her daughter out of the room. “He has a _key_?”

“We’re not talking about this.”

Nicky grinned. “Uh huh. Sure, Mom.”

Erin sighed, and wished for a moment that she’d never had children.

***

“Sir?” Baker knocked and entered Frank’s office.

“News on the investigation?”

“Yes. Special Investigations is looking into some suspicious anti-wolf behavior over at the Brooklyn’s DA’s office. We believe their investigation may overlap ours.”

“That office is run by Thomas Wallace.” Frank sighed. “We think a DA is involved now?”

“Can’t rule it out. They put one of our best undercovers on the case—Eddie Janko. She’ll be going by Kowalski while there.”

“My son is dating Eddie Janko,” Frank remarked. “Which means Jamie may know about this already.”

“Possibly.” Baker shrugged. “We’re digging into Captain Leary’s finances, but taking him and his network down would be a big win, even if we can’t find the head of the snake.”

“I know. But I’d like to dig this weed out by the roots. Keep it from growing back.”

“Yes sir.”

“Keep me apprised of the investigation. If we get a break, I want us ready to move in, fast.”

“Yes sir.”

Frank could only pray they’d get that break in time to stop whatever it was the Order was planning.

***

_The next full moon_

Jamie arrived at the reserve feeling…well, feeling like not everyone was there. Eddie was still on her assignment.

“You look twitchy,” Danny remarked. “Something wrong?”

“No—well, yes, but it’s nothing you can fix. Just have to wait.”

“Oh?” Danny raised his eyebrows. “What’s going on little brother?”

“Nothing.” Jamie shrugged, chucking his boots off.

“Doesn’t sound like nothing.”

“Eddie’s been on assignment for awhile, is all.”

“You’ve been on what, two dates?” Danny folded his shirt and set it aside. “This girl must be something really special.”

“When did you know, with Linda, I mean.”

“Pretty fast. I mean, when you find your mate it’s like—” Danny’s eyes narrowed. “Jamie, is this girl…”

“Yeah, pretty sure.” Jamie rubbed a hand through his hair. “More than sure.”

A smile stretched across Danny’s face. “Well. That’s something.”

“I want to keep it quiet still. You know? Celebrate when Eddie gets back.”

“Sure.” Danny nodded. “I’m gonna be your best man, right?”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Shut up.”

“This girl is Catholic right?”

Jamie just shook his head, shifted, and ran out before Danny could badger him further. He spotted Caitlin, and ran forward to tag her. A moment later, an all-out game of tag had started. Danny joined in a few moments later, fully aware his brother had caused the distraction to avoid conversation. Danny had _taught him_ that move.

Kid was so not getting away that easy.

***

Danny wrestled with Jamie, trying to pin the other wolf. Jamie snarled and nipped at Danny’s neck. It was a playfight, mostly. Jamie never really challenged his siblings, but he _was_ a little annoyed with Danny.

Meanwhile, Caitlin was walking the perimeter with Linda, following a peculiar scent.

It wasn’t a wolf or a rabbit or deer, those were all familiar to her. This was a bit sweet, sort of chemically. She’d drawn Linda’s attention to the scent, and the older wolf had joined her in hunting it down.

Linda stopped suddenly and barked, warning Caitlin away.

Caitlin whined.

Linda shook her head and tilted her head back, howling.

Danny and Jamie immediately stopped fighting, hurrying toward Linda, Erin and Frank on their heels. Linda back Caitlin away a bit and shifted back, turning her attention to the wolves headed their way.

“Bomb.”

Jamie skidded to a halt and turned, running back to the shelters for his phone while the others kept a perimeter and Linda herded Caitlin back toward the shelter.

Jamie grabbed his phone, counting on Linda to secure the kids. He dialed quickly. “This is Officer Reagan, we have a bomb on the western perimeter fence of the NYPD reserve. PC and Detective Reagan are on the scene. We need bomb squad and containment.” He threw on his pants and boots, hurrying back out of the shelter.

“Linda, we should keep the kids in the picnic area. Just in case.”

“Got it,” Linda nodded. “Caitlin, go ahead and shift back.” Linda had managed to pull on pants and a sweatshirt.

Caitlin barked and headed back to the shelter.

“Is Mom okay?” Nicky asked.

“She’ll be okay,” Jamie promised. “She’s just helping with the perimeter.”

Nicky nodded.

“Everything is going to be all right,” Linda said. “Just stick close to us.”

Caitlin came jogging back, mostly dressed. “You call it in, Uncle Jamie?”

“Yeah, help is on the way. You and Linda tracked it?”

“I caught a weird smell,” Caitlin replied. “So I got Linda to come with.”

“Good job.” Jamie eyed her and moved in, giving her a hug. “You okay?” He couldn’t help noticing she was shaking a bit.

“Just the adrenaline.”

“Okay.” He rubbed her back. “Stick close to Linda, okay?”

“Okay.”

Jamie smiled and headed to the gate to meet the bomb squad. The PC’s detail was there too, and within minutes, there was a virtual army of police on the premises. They bundled the Reagan pack off to 1 PP while the bomb was disarmed.

Frank paced, more casually dressed then he ever typically was while in his office. The boys were asleep on the couch, Linda watching over them. The girls were playing a game of poker with Henry and Jamie. Erin was on the phone and Danny was talking to Baker outside the office.

Baker walked into the office, Danny at her heels. “Sir, the bomb has been disarmed. It was rigged with a dispersal system—and full of Shade.”

Frank shook his head. “We need to search all the reserves. Make sure there aren’t anymore bombs out there.”

“Already on it sir.” Baker nodded. “We’ve got Special Investigations doing that now.”

“Good.” Frank stopped himself from growling and jerked his head indicating for Danny, Baker and Erin to follow him out of the office.

“Sir?”

“They targeted children.” He clenched his fists, eyes flashing gold. “My family. I want this done. I want to know who’s behind this.”

“Yes, sir,” Baker nodded.

“Dad, as soon as Special Investigations has anything, you know you’ll be the first to hear about it,” Erin said. “This is everyone’s top priority.”

“They targeted _us_. The pups.” He took a breath. “Caitie could have set it off.”

“She didn’t. She got Linda and Linda got us. She did exactly what she should have.” Danny put a steadying hand on his father’s shoulder. “The kids are all safe.”

Frank nodded. “I know. Baker, whatever resources Special Investigations need, make sure they have them.”

Baker nodded. “We’ve tripled your detail and arranged for a safehouse. Your residence is too well known. If this was an attempt on the Reagan pack, we can’t take any risks.”

“I understand.”

“Also the mayor called. He was concerned. Wanted to know how you were.”

“Garrett can handle the mayor.”

“Of course, sir. We have cars waiting in the garage. It would be best to move you now.”

“All right.” Frank exhaled. “Let’s wake up the boys. We’ll get everyone to the safehouse and resettled.”

Danny nodded. “You won’t get any argument from me.”

“Or me,” Erin said.

“Good.”

***

Eddie copied the last of the files, pocketing the USB and slipping out of the DA’s office. She took a deep breath, hurrying toward the back stair.

“You’re here awful late, Ms. Kowalski.”

Eddie turned, smiling at the man. “Mr. Wallace, just finishing some reports.”

“Really?” He stepped closer. “I think you’ve been putting your nose places you shouldn’t.”

Eddie kept her expression mild. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The click of a hammer being drawn back caught Eddie’s ear, but she kept her eyes on Wallace.

“Stupid wolves…you really should’ve stayed in the shadows.”

Eddie smiled. “And you should stop bathing in aftershave.” She was certain the gunman was somewhere to her left blind spot. But directly behind her, there was a window. She glanced at the desk nearest her hand, spying a cup of paperclips. She didn’t think, she grabbed the cup and tossed it Wallace’s face. She turned and ran—the gun went off. Eddy felt a sting in her side, but she kept running. She covered her face with her crossed arms and dove through the window.

She rolled, landing on the asphalt four stories down. Her arm thudded into the hard surface, shoulder popping out of place. Eddie swore, got to her feet—and ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up, the wolves of New York take down the Silver Order.


	8. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the pack's safety is threatened, Frank hunts for the head of the Silver Order.

The whole family was asleep. Though Jamie and Frank had fallen asleep in the safe house’s living room after a couple glasses of scotch, everyone else had slipped off to a bedroom hours ago. Jamie gasped, hand going to his side.

“Jamie?” Frank turned to his youngest, brow furrowed in concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Eddie.” His eyes went wide. “Oh my god.” Jamie jumped to his feet, rushing for his phone sitting on the coffee table. He dialed without blinking.

“Jamie?”

Jamie held up his hand, listening to the dial tone. It went straight to voicemail. He took a breath. “Eddie’s hurt.” He looked at his father. “Eddie’s hurt.”

“Oh, Jamie. She’s—”

“Yeah.” Jamie nodded. He tried calling again.

Frank grabbed his own phone and called Baker.

Danny padded into the living room, eyeing his panicked brother. “What’s going on?” He’d felt his brother and father’s distress through their pack bond. It wasn’t a great surprise that the _rest_ of the pack came stumbling out a few seconds later.

Jamie was still trying to get a hold of Eddie, but turned his attention to Danny. “Eddie’s hurt.”

“Shit.” Danny blinked.

“I’ve got an update,” Frank said, putting his hand over the phone’s receiver. “Baker says Eddie was picked up by her handler. They took her to the hospital.”

“Is she okay?” Jamie asked.

“She was shot, but it appears to be superficial.”

Jamie nodded and headed for the door.

“Hey, hey,” Danny stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “He didn’t even tell you _which_ hospital, bud. Take a minute. I know you’re freaking out, but it’s not a good idea to just run headlong into this.”

“Says _you_ ,” Jamie snarled. “Get out of my way.”

“ _Jamison_ ,” Frank said quietly.

His youngest froze, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I’m just—”

“I know,” Danny said, pulling his brother into his arms. “I know.”

Erin and Linda exchanged looks.

“Jamie, is Eddie—is Eddie your mate?” Erin asked softly.

Jamie nodded. “It just happened. So fast. We were waiting until she got back from her assignment to tell anyone.”

“Oh, honey,” Linda joined her husband in hugging Jamie. “I’m sure she’s in the best hands now.”

“I need to see her,” Jamie replied.

“I’m making arrangements,” Frank said. “Keep him calm.” The latter was definitely directed at the rest of the pack, while Frank headed out the living room to make some more calls.

Danny knew full well that keeping a distraught wolf from their mate was…difficult. Linda and Erin and him _might_ be enough if Jamie _really_ wanted to leave. Putting yourself between another wolf and their injured mate was at best, reckless.

Frank walked back into the living room a few minutes later. “A car is on the way to take Jamie and I to the hospital. The rest of you will stay here.” His tone brooked no argument. “Get the kids back to sleep, I’ll call with any updates.”

***

Eddie raised her head the moment Jamie stepped in the hospital. Only the nurse’s insistence kept her in bed until Jamie finally made it to the room, panting just a little.

“Eddie.”

“I’m okay,” she promised. “Really.”

He slid right past the nurse to Eddi’s bedside. “What happened?”

“A little gunshot. A little jump through a window.” She smiled. “No big deal.”

“I worry about you not considering that a big deal.” Tentatively, Jamie put a hand on hers. “I felt it. Felt you hurt.”

“I’m okay. It’ll heal. They weren’t smart enough to use bane dipped bullets or anything. I dislocated my shoulder but they already popped it back in, doesn’t even hurt now. Though, that might be the drugs.” She sandwiched his hand between hers. “I’m okay.”

“Okay.” Jamie took a deep breath. “Okay.”

“It’s good to see you up,” Frank said, heading into the room. He eyed Jamie and pulled a chair closer to him. Jamie flashed a grateful smile, sitting without having to take his hand from Eddie’s. Frank put a hand on Jamie’s shoulder and another on Eddie’s knee. “Welcome to the family, Eddie.”

“I was hoping this would be a bit less…hospital-y.” She shrugged, and winced. “But I think I finished the job, that’s the important thing.”

“You did good work,” Frank agreed, patting her knee. “Hopefully, it’ll put an end to these poisonings.”

Eddie’s brow furrowed, nostrils flaring. “Did something else happen? I mean, there are like a dozen wolves out there.”

“There was a bomb,” Jamie said. “At the reserve. Filled with Shade.”

“Is everyone okay?”

“Yes. It was disarmed. But we found bombs at other reserves as well. Looks like they were finally making their move.”

“One by one poisonings not causing enough mayhem, I suppose.” Eddie shook her head. “The bastards.”

“Yeah.” Jamie nodded in agreement.

“We’ll get them,” Frank said. “That’s what we do.”

***

By mid-morning, Eddie was well enough to be discharged, and Frank wasted little time having her and Jamie sent to the safehouse. Danny was out when they arrived, having been called into work.

Jamie wasn’t precisely _thinking_ , as he headed into the living room, sat on the couch, and pulled Eddie down into his lap, snuggling her close. If she’d minded, she would’ve protested—or bit him, but right then all Eddie wanted was to stick close to Jamie. She wouldn’t admit in public, but she’d been scared.

They weren’t the only ones taking part in some tactile comfort. Erin had both the girls with her, though Caitlin had shifted back into her wolf. It was a pretty clear sign of stress, she felt much safer with teeth and claws at the ready. Henry had Linda and the boys in the kitchen helping him make breakfast. Linda peeked into the living room when she heard the door open, spotting Jamie and Eddie. She smiled. The familiar feeling of the pack bond reaching out to include a new member was comforting in the face of everything else.

“We’re making corned beef hash and eggs, sausage, waffles and there might be muffins,” Linda said once Jamie’s head came up. “It’ll be ready in twenty minutes or so.”

“Thanks, Linda.”

“Hello, Eddie.”

“Hi Linda,” Eddie gave a little wave, though she didn’t lift her head from Jamie’s shoulder.

“Frank head into the office?”

“Yeah,” Jamie replied with a little nod.

“Well, then there will be plenty of food.” Linda smiled. “Behave out here.”

Jamie flushed. “You know we will.”

“Uh huh.” Linda headed back into the kitchen.

Eddie snickered. “I like her.”

“Of course you do.” Jamie pressed a kiss to her forehead, smoothing a bit of hair away from her face. “How are you feeling?”

“Good. Warm. Still a bit fuzzy from the pain killers.”

Jamie smiled. “Good fuzzy?”

She hummed and closed her eyes. “Yeah.”

He combed his fingers through her hair. This, this was exactly what he’d been missing. “Next full moon run, you’ll be with us?”

“Of course. I can’t wait to run with my pack.”

Jamie kissed her. “I…I love you.”

“I love you too.”

***

“Sir, we’ve got wolves at airports and train stations. Everyone has Wallace’s picture. But we’re relatively sure he’s gone to ground after failing to kill Special Investigator Janko. Officers have been dispatched to bring in the rest of his network.” Baker eyed Frank, somewhat uncertain of his mood. “We’ve even tapped facial recognition.”

Frank nodded. “Good work.”

“Detective Reagan was part of the team that arrested Captain Leary. There was a slight incident.”

“How slight?” Frank raised his eyebrows.

Garrett stepped up. “Nothing we can’t handle. Leary said some things. About the kids. Danny—accidentally knocked the guy’s head into a wall.”

“I see. What does Sergeant Gormley have to say about it?”

“He’s convinced it was unintentional.”

Frank sighed. “All right. Any other updates?”

“Some of the arrests we’d made have yielded bomb making supplies, targets. More Shade.” Baker glanced at Garrett and then turned her full attention to the PC. “They were definitely targeting your pack, sir. They were also targeting packmasters. Everyone has been warned.”

“Good.” Frank took off his glasses. “I’m going to head back to the safehouse and check on everyone. Garrett, try to keep the press quiet of a bit longer.”

“I’ll do my best.”

***

Frank heard the yelling before he got into the safehouse.

“Get the hell out of my way, Danny!” Jamie shouted.

“That’s not happening kid.”

Frank slipped inside, eyeing the scene and then turning to Erin with an expectant look.

“He heard Wallace got away.” Erin sighed. “Now he’s all revved up.”

“Ah.” Frank sighed. “Where’s Pop?”

“He took the boys outside to play. With a half-dozen guards, it looked like. I sent Nicky and Caitie upstairs with Eddie.”

Danny was standing directly in Jamie’s way, while Erin had taken up a post closer to the front door. Frank cleared his throat, drawing both of his son’s attention.

“Dad,” Jamie said. “You gotta let me out there. I’ll find Wallace.”

“I can’t do that, Jamie. I understand how you’re feeling, but we haven’t scooped up his entire network. We don’t know what other resources he could have.”

“So?” Jamie shook his head. “He tried to kill Eddie. He tried to kill my mate.” His shoulders heaved.

“I know. Jamie, I know. But you can’t let your instincts control you.” Frank stepped forward, nodding for Danny to step aside. “Your bond is new, she was hurt, and it’s taking everything you’ve got to hold it together, but you _can_ hold it together.” He stepped closer, putting a hand on Jamie’s neck. “It’s okay.”

Jamie exhaled and closed his eyes. “I could’ve lost her.”

“You didn’t. She’s safe. Everyone is safe, Jamie.” Frank squeezed the back of Jamie’s neck gently. “We’re all safe.”

Jamie managed a very small nod.

“Why don’t you go join Eddie with the girls?” Frank asked softly. “You’ll feel better if you stay close to her.”

“Okay, Dad.”

Frank nodded, pulling Jamie in for a proper hug before sending him off to join the girls. He exhaled and turned to Danny. “You all right?”

“Yeah. Kid doesn’t even blink when I pull dominance anymore, you know that? He’s revving up.”

“Packmaster will come to him when it comes to him,” Frank shrugged. “Just remember to try to deescalate. Like when I get pissed off.”

“Sure thing,” Danny smiled. “Because that is so easy.”

Erin snorted. “Come on, help me get lunch ready.” She snagged Danny’s arm and pulled him away. “Dad, you should go out and see the boys. They missed you this morning.”

“Noted.”

***

There were a couple quiet days while every cop in the city, and certainly every wolf, looked for Wallace. But the quiet didn’t last.

“Dad?” Erin knocked on Frank’s door. “Garrett and Baker are here. They have news you need to hear.”

Frank sat up, rubbing his eyes and noting Erin’s grim expression. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

She didn’t reply, but she didn’t really need to.

Frank got up, grabbing a pair of pants and an over shirt, dressing quickly and following Erin downstairs. Garrett and Baker were standing awkwardly in the living room, waiting for him.

“All right, tell me what happened.”

“We thought we spotted Wallace. A team went in. Eight wolves, three humans, tactical team.” Baker swallowed. “There was a bomb.”

“Survivors?” Frank’s brow furrowed.

“They pulled three people out of the building. One of thems not likely, the other two are in critical care.”

Frank closed one hand into a fist, eyes flashing gold. “And Wallace?”

“No sign of him,” Garrett said.

Frank took a few deep breaths. “I need to speak to the families.”

“Of course, sir,” Baker replied.

“I’ll get dressed.” He turned back toward the stairs. “I want this bastard found.”

Practically the whole house was awake. Listening. Jamie ducked back into his and Eddie’s room before Frank walked by, uncertain what to do next. The had to stop this. Had to find Wallace. They’d cut off the man’s connections in the police department. In the DA. So who the hell was working with him now anyway?

Jamie wasn’t the only one wondering that.

“Caitie,” Nicky whispered, “you should be in bed.” The girls were sharing a room.

“Didn’t you hear that?”

Nicky shook her head.

“Wallace, that guy who shot Eddy. He killed some cops. With a bomb.” Caitlin crossed the room to look out the window. “He got away. Again. They scooped up his law enforcement contacts. So someone else has to be helping him.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re thinking about doing something you shouldn’t do?”

“Because I am.” Caitlin headed back to her bed and fished her phone out from under her pillow. “I still have a couple favors I can call in.”

“You think that’s a good idea?”

“Probably not.” She licked her lips.

“Uncle Danny has a bunch of CI’s, Caitie. I mean, you really think you can get information the entire NYPD can’t?”

Caitlin shook her head. “No. I just—feel so useless.”

“You know what Grandpa said you’re supposed to do when you feel like that.”

“Yeah.” Caitlin bit her lip and walked over to Nicky’s bed, holding out her phone. “Here, take this.”

Nicky took the phone. “It’s gonna be okay.” She tucked the phone away and patted the bed. “Come on, I’ll cuddle with you.”

“Thanks, Nicky.” Caitlin dropped onto Nicky’s bed.

Nicky slung an arm around her cousin’s shoulders. “It’s what family’s for. Duh.”

“Duh.” Caitlin smiled. “You know, I’m pretty sure Uncle Jamie’s climbing out his bedroom window.”

“Yeah…but Uncle Jamie is an adult.” Nicky made a face. “And I kind owe one. So we can give him like, ten minutes head start?”

“Sure.” Caitlin nodded. “Ten minutes head start.”

***

Jamie didn’t slip out the window alone, Eddie went with him. They’d had a brief, hushed argument but it had boiled down to: _If I don’t come with you, then I will be forced to shout._ Besides which, she knew Wallace’s scent.

So Jamie caved.

They grabbed Jamie’s car, parked a few blocks over—after checking for incendiary devices—and drove out to the building Wallace had last been seen at. Eddy got out of the car, Jamie close on her heels, carefully sniffing around the perimeter. Finally, as they head down an alley a block away, she caught it.

“There, Jamie, you smell that? With the aftershave?”

Jamie nodded. “Yeah, I got it.”

Together, they followed the scent to an oil spot on the street.

“He got in a car,” Eddie remarked, looking around. “Look, a camera.”

“I see it.” Jamie pulled out his phone. “Guess it’s time to call in for help.”

“How mad do you think your father is going to be?”

“Well, I can probably convince him to give you a pass, but I probably won’t be sitting comfortably for a while.”

Eddie frowned, leaning up and giving him a kiss. “Hey, we’re in this together. Okay? I can take my medicine. Sure, he didn’t directly forbid _me_ from going after Wallace, but I think that was just because he didn’t think I was that reckless.”

Jamie smiled. “Clearly, he doesn’t know you well enough yet.”

“I’m sure he’ll figure me out pretty fast.” She grinned. “How about we grab a hotdog while we wait for the inevitable to descend upon us?”

“You’re hungry?”

“You know me, I’m _always_ hungry.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: 
> 
> The wolves close in on Wallace.


	9. Closure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We come to a close. 
> 
> Thank you all for you comments and kudos. This fic has been a lot of fun to write. I'm not saying I'll never revisit the world, but for the moment I'm done.

Frank was beginning to think his youngest pack members were trying to give him a heart attack. Eddie had been part of the pack for all of a day, it seemed, and she was already helping her mate disregard Frank’s orders. The only real surprise was that Caitlin didn’t appear to be involved in any way. He’d had the miscreants brought to his office at 1 PP.

“I thought I made myself clear, Jamison, that you were to stay out of the hunt for Wallace.”

“You did, sir,” Jamie nodded. “But…I couldn’t.”

“Edit,” Frank turned his stare on her, “you were a willing conspirator?”

“Yes, sir.” She nodded. “I know Wallace’s scent and…I couldn’t let him go by himself.”

Frank took a deep breath and sighed. “Of course not.” He shook his head and forced himself to focus. “You both realize that this pack has a big target on it right now? Wallace tried to kill you, Edit. I very much doubt he’d let another chance slip him by. It’s not just a power-trip, telling you to stay here. I’m trying to keep all of you safe. Do you understand?”

“You let Danny go to work,” Jamie replied. “And we were together.”

“ _Danny_ , had a precinct full of other officers to watch out for him. He also asked me to go. You and Edit were alone. And no, being together is not the same as having a protective detail. You also _went out the window_ , which is about what I expect from teenagers, not adult members of my pack.”

Eddie bit her lip, managing to look at least a little ashamed of herself. Not much, mind you, perhaps ten percent. Eleven, if one was being charitable.

Jamie hadn’t managed that at all. He just looked stubborn and uncooperative.

“I can’t let this stand.” Frank took a breath. He did, however, need some time to calm down. He wasn’t as furious as he’d been when he’d heard where the pair had been picked up. “Corners.”

“Dad—”

“ _Now_.”

Jamie sighed, but he did know better than to argue with that tone. He gave Eddie a look. She shrugged and headed toward the nearest empty corner. Jamie took the other, and prayed this would be the only time his mate would be in the room when he got a spanking.

Ever.

***

Frank was, secretly, a little bit proud of Jamie and Eddie’s work. If he was being honest with himself. They’d gotten a lead on Wallace. He wasn’t going to ignore it. He set the task force on it and prayed this entire situation would be resolved soon.

“Grandpa?” Caitlin peered into the safehouse’s office, which Frank had commandeered. He was sitting on the office’s small loveseat, going over photos.

“Hey, sweetheart.” He smiled and beckoned her closer. “What are you up to?”

She padded into the room. “I wanted to—last night. Last night I thought about calling some of my old contacts.”

“I see.”

“I didn’t. I gave Nicky my phone.” She bit her lip. “I didn’t want to bother you at the time, but I thought you should know.”

“Come here, Caitie.” He opened his arms.

Caitlin didn’t blink, plopping down on the couch next to him. Frank wrapped his arms around her.

“Feeling shaky, sweetheart?”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “Like the floor is going to drop out from under me.”

“I know, all of this upheaval hasn’t been very good for you or the other kids.”

“I want to go home.”

“I know.” He rubbed her shoulder. “I know. We’ll be home soon.”

“Why do people want to kill us so badly?”

“They’re afraid. Afraid because we’re not quite human. And some of it just plain ignorance fueled into anger. It’s nothing you’ve done.”

Caitlin sighed. “Nicky’s getting closer to her shift.”

“I know.”

“She’s scared. We talk.” Caitlin laid her head on his shoulder. “I think about how my first shift was. I know that’s not how hers is gonna go.”

“No, it won’t. Don’t worry, Caitie. Nicky will be all right.” He took a breath and kissed her forehead. “You’re going to be all right too. I’m proud of you for not calling your contacts. For letting me handle this.”

Caitlin flushed. “Thank you, Grandpa.”

“Why don’t we go see if there any of those cookies left?”

“Before lunch?” She raised her eyebrows.

“Special circumstances.” He squeezed her shoulder. “It’s allowed.”

“Thanks, Grandpa.”

***

Baker breathed a sigh of relief. She’d been waiting to give the PC this news since the first poisoning. She knocked on his office door, entering a moment later.

Frank looked up from the papers on his desk. “Baker?”

“Sir, we know where is Wallace is.”

Frank smiled. “Put the team together.”

“Yes, sir.”

***

Jamie put on his bullet proof vest, feeling a buzz of energy he hadn’t had since the day they went in to take down Sunny Malevsky. There was a cautious excitement in the locker room as the rest of the team prepped. They all knew Wallace was dangerous, and now that he was cornered, he could be more dangerous. He had men with him.

But he didn’t know they were coming.

Eddie and Danny were with him too, though Eddie had to wait with the cars. She didn’t carry a gun. Jamie wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He’d prefer her to carry a gun, especially after what Wallace had tried. But she wanted to be there, and she’d agreed to a bullet proof vest and a detail.

Jamie’d never been on an all-wolf tactical team before, but Frank wanted to be sure no one would be friendly to Wallace or his views. Of course, that meant they needed to include a few packmasters in there to keep everyone calm. Renzulli was there, which made Jamie feel better. Baker was even there, in tactical gear for the first time Jamie had ever seen. He wasn’t going to argue though, he knew that woman was terrifyingly competent at everything she did.

The building where Wallace was holed up was just off the docks. They parked quietly, a block away, and moved in with silent precision. They weren’t going to take any risks this time. Bomb squad was on sight, and there was a member with each arm of the tactical team.

They moved quickly, simultaneously breaking into the various entrances. They had to pause to disarm a few booby traps along the way, but they broke into the main area, and the shouting started.

“Get on the ground!”

“Put down the gun and get on the ground!”

“Get on the ground!”

And a single shot rang out.

There was clean up as Wallace’s men were placed under arrest, trials still to be held, but as the call came over the radio, Frank took a breath, feeling relief for the first time in weeks.

Wallace was in handcuffs.

***

_Some weeks later_

“Are you sure you want to be here?” Jamie asked Caitlin for the third time that morning.

“Yes,” she replied. She’d taken a day off of school for this. She straightened slightly, the wooden bench wasn’t really comfortable, and reminded her too much of a church pew. But this wasn’t a church. Jamie sat on one side of her, Renzulli next to him and Erin was on the other side. No one wanted her in this courtroom alone.

But she did take Jamie’s hand.

The DA filed in and a moment later court police brought in the defendant, his lawyer just behind him. Caitlin swallowed. She’d seen pictures of Sunny Malevsky, but she’d never seen him in person. Frank had only agreed that she could go to the sentencing, not wanting his family members to torture themselves—or let Sunny bait them.

Sunny turned around after he was seated, spotting Jamie and Erin, and smiling. His eyes narrowed on Caitlin.

“You must be Joe’s kid,” he said.

“Don’t say anything,” Jamie said softly. “He just wants a rise out of you.” He squeezed her hand.

Caitlin nodded.

Sunny smirked but turned back to the front as the jury filed in, followed by the judge. Everyone stood and then sat again with the judge, who quickly gaveled the court into session.

“It is my understanding that the jury has reached a decision regarding sentencing?”

The foreman stood. “Yes, your honor.”

The judge nodded back and the bailiff accepted the paper from the foreman, returning it to the judge.

Sunny and his lawyer stood again.

“Mr. Malevesky. You have been found guilty of the crimes you were accused of.” The judge fixed him with a firm stare. “With the recommendation of the jury, I sentence you to life in prison, without the possibility of parole.”

Caitlin let out the breath she’d been holding. Jamie put his arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his side. Erin took her hand.

Malevsky’s face fell.

Caitlin wasn’t sure if it was enough, for what the man had done, but she couldn’t ask for more. He’d be in a box for the rest of his life. It had to be enough.

“Come on, kid,” Jamie whispered. “Let’s get ice cream.” He glanced at Erin. She nodded.

They slipped out of the courtroom together. Erin was hoping seeing this would help Jamie and Caitlin get some closure. She was hoping it would give her some closure. Knowing Malevsky was never getting out prison did help. A little. That just had to be enough.

***

_Some months later_

“Wallace was convicted,” Frank remarked. Though he’d no doubt every single person at that table already knew it.

“I hear Chicago just busted up a similar group,” Erin remarked. “And there was one in Boston.”

“I heard that too,” Jamie said.

“You know what I heard?” Danny interjected.

“What?” Erin glanced across the table at her brother.

“I heard that somebody got into the Governor’s art show.” Danny glanced at Caitlin.

“What?” Eddie turned toward her. “You got in?”

Caitlin’s face was nearly as red as her hair. “Yeah, I got the letter.”

“Good work, Caitie,” Jamie said. “I’ll put in to get one of the days of the show off work.”

The whole table tacked on something similar.

“You excited?” Linda asked.

“Yeah.” Caitlin smiled. “I was gonna tell you all after Nicky’s big day. I didn’t want butt in.”

Nicky rolled her eyes. “Feel free. I feel weird enough as it is without you keeping good news to yourself.”

Nicky’s sixteenth was last week, and the moon was tomorrow. It was a big night. Caitlin was looking forward to having another wolf closer to her own age in the pack.

“Speaking of _news_ ,” Henry said. “Did Francis mention he _finally_ issued a formal invitation for Baker and her mate to join the pack?”

“Dad,” Erin exclaimed, “it’s about time.”

“Oh yeah,” Danny said. “It’ll be nice having another lieutenant around.”

Frank shook his head. “I was waiting for the right time. Now happened to be the right time.”

“Uh huh.” Linda shook her head.

Caitlin looked at Nicky and both girls snickered.

“And what about you, Erin?” Frank fixed his attention on his daughter. “Have you made up your mind about Cliff?”

She made a face and stuffed a bite of mashed potato in her mouth.

“That’s what I thought.”

It wasn’t that Erin wasn’t _sure_ about Cliff. She was. She was more than sure. Cliff was sure too. But she wanted to keep him to herself for the moment. Though, once Nicky had made her first shift, Erin knew it was only a matter of days before Nicky and Cliff met, and the bond was formed.

She just wanted a few more days.

“Are you excited, Nicky?” Linda asked.

Nicky nodded. “Oh yeah. I mean, nervous, but excited.”

“You’re going to be fine,” Caitlin promised. “Really.”

Frank sat back in his chair, looking around the dining table. Noting the new additions. Soon they’d need to add another leaf to the table. Pull the rest of the chairs out of storage. There’d be more faces at the table. And the pack would grow stronger. His granddaughters were laughing. His grandsons were smiling. His children were safe.

That was all he ever wanted.

***

The moon was full and bright and there were wolves running all over the reserve. Jamie was playing a game of tag with Eddie and Linda. Danny was teasing his boys. Baker, an enigmatic looking blonde wolf, was perched on a picnic table watching everything while her mate hunted for rabbits.

Frank and Henry lay, side by side, on the top of the little hill, watching.

Watching one slight red wolf and one dark chestnut play tug of war with a length of rope.

Erin watched, Cliff’s enormous black wolf at her side, tongue lolling in a wolf’s smile. Cliff nudged her and she nudged back.

As the night wound down, most of the pack settled just at the tree line. The older wolves corralling the pups—human and wolf alike—into the center of their pile. The boys might wake up with some sticks and bugs, but Linda was content to let them sleep there, using her and Danny as pillows.

Jamie curled a bit tighter around Eddie, licking her ear. She cracked one eye at him and huffed. He licked her again and then settled, Caitlin wedged between them. She’d been doing that, more and more, seeking the pair out whenever they were running together. Jamie didn’t mind. She was his girl.

He closed his eyes, listening close the heart beats of his pack. To the heart beats of his girls. His family. He had news too, but he was willing to wait. Hostage negotiation had approached him last week for specialized training. They thought he had a knack for it.

Jamie could finally see his life coming together. He had his mate. His pack. A career path waiting for him. A chill raised the ridge of fur on his back and he opened his eyes, peering out into the open space beyond the trees, still illuminated by the setting moon. There, on the hill, was a ghostly sort of figure. A wolf. A wolf he knew.

_Joe?_

The wolf lifted his head and let out a joyful bark before turning his gaze back to Jamie.

_Good job, little brother._

No one else stirred. Jamie blinked—and the shape was gone. But he was filled with a feeling of peace. Warmth. He closed his eyes and laid down his head.

_Thanks, Joe._

**Author's Note:**

> So I found myself wishing there was a good werewolf fic with Blue Bloods...and also that I'd done it with my long-lost child of Joe fic. 
> 
> So...yeah, it's like an AU of an AU? And I'm weird.


End file.
